Thursday, November 21, 2002
WHAT'S WRONG WITH THIS PICTURE?
Most would agree that if a nation is in dire need of food aid and is dealing with the problem of donor fatigue, it might be better served by not sending its ships into disputed waters (or not violating nuclear arms agreements for that matter). But of course the leaders of the DPRK are not "most." Sigh.
NORTH KOREA: U.N. PLEADS FOR FOOD AID The United Nations' food aid agency said it urgently needed help from donors to feed millions of North Koreans. James Morris, executive director of the World Food Program, said at a news conference in Tokyo that the agency's program in North Korea "is very much at risk" because of falling contributions from major donors. The agency says it has halted aid to three million people in the country's west and will be forced to cut off another 1.6 million by early next after a drop in support from big donors, notably Japan, where there is rising anger at North Korea over its acknowledged kidnapping of Japanese citizens and its nuclear weapons and missile programs. (Reuters)
SOUTH KOREA: SHOTS FIRED AT NORTHERN BOAT The South Korean Navy fired warning shots at a North Korean patrol boat that crossed a disputed sea border into southern waters, officials said. The North Korean boat retreated to North Korean waters without returning fire. A similar incident occurred on Saturday. In June, a naval battle in the Yellow Sea left six South Korean sailors and about a dozen North Koreans dead.
James Brooke (NYT)
Most would agree that if a nation is in dire need of food aid and is dealing with the problem of donor fatigue, it might be better served by not sending its ships into disputed waters (or not violating nuclear arms agreements for that matter). But of course the leaders of the DPRK are not "most." Sigh.
