On January 17, Unification Minister Kwon Youngse met Catherine Russell, executive director of the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), and David Beasley, head of the World Food Program (WFP) in Davos, Switzerland to discuss the unification and North Korean policies and share current situations and outlook of the international organizations’ humanitarian assistance to North Korea.

Russell inquired about North Korea’s humanitarian situations, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, and indicated that although many restrictions, including North Korea’s border controls, remain, UNICEF is continuously implementing vaccines and medical assistance projects for North Korean infants. She also expressed that she would resume humanitarian projects in the North as soon as the conditions are set.

Beasley mentioned that North Korea’s border controls and other restrictions are preventing the implementation of the food assistance project to resolve North Korea’s chronic food shortages and expressed his hopes to soon carry out humanitarian projects in a full-fledged manner by closely working with the Ministry of Unification.

During the meeting, the Ministry of Unification confirmed the international organizations’ support of the humanitarian cooperation between the two Koreas and the consistency of the Yoon administration’s principle. The ministry also agreed on the need to swiftly resume humanitarian projects in the North with international organizations.

The Ministry of Unification plans to make progressive efforts through close cooperation with international organizations so that humanitarian projects in the North are swiftly implemented, which will help North Koreans improve their quality of life.