How to help North Koreans without helping the regime

Author:
John Lee

When Typhoon Lionrock swept through North Korea from late August to early September, it destroyed tens of thousands of buildings and left thousands homeless and even more destitute than they were before. The destruction was so severe that the KCNA declared that it the ‘biggest cataclysm’ since [1945’s] Liberation (though one would think that that dubious honor ought to belong to the Korean War).

The United Nations said that it needed close to US$30 million to repair the damages. Considering the fact that winter will soon be arriving, where temperatures look set to fall well below freezing, the actual price tag may end up being much more. For those unfortunate souls who have lost everything they had, saying that they need urgent help is an understatement.

Although the North Korean regime has not made any formal requests for international aid, there arereports that Kim Jong Un has ordered his closest henchmen to do exactly that, albeit quietly and behind closed doors. However, as desperate as the North Koreans may be for help, any kind of help, it is highly unlikely that Kim Jong Un will come knocking on Seoul’s door with his hat in hand.

The article's full-text is available here.

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