Yonhap anounces two new aid projects aimed at the DPRK.
First, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) has earmarked US$17 million for humanitarian aid to the DPRK over the next two years. This is to cover medical services for 8.5 million vulnerable people and improve water supply services in North Korea from 2010-2011.
Second, South Korea on Monday offered the North 10,000 tons of corn and other small-scale humanitarian aid, responding to a rare official request for assistance from Pyongyang.
Thanks for posting this. Any idea if this aid is monitored? I am 100% for aid but I think you’d agree it’s usually more effective when monitored.
So, the IFRC is giving $1/year in medical services to 35% of DPRK citizens and South Korea is providing enough corn to feed all of 50,000 people, or 2% of the population and just 10% of those estimated to be hungry. This is positive, but a thaw it is not.
Actually 50,000 is more like .25% of the population. 50,000 people fed for a year sounds about right though. Really it’s a token gesture. South Korean aid to North Korea peaked at half a million tons this is two percent of that. Plus South Korea was providing lots of other concessions. I really wish we knew how much aid has been and is going to be coming in from China. Anyone have any guesses?
Not any good ones. A short cut idea would be look at the DPRK’s current account deficit to theoretically gague their capital account surplus. I am willing to bet that most of that is from China, however, there is no easy way to know how much of it is FDI versus political transfers…