N. Korea Sanctions May Trigger Crisis, Red Cross Says

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BEIJING — Aid agencies in North Korea spoke yesterday of their fear that sanctions by the international community could trigger a humanitarian crisis.

“The lives of millions of innocent citizens are now under threat,” the head of the International Federation of the Red Cross in Pyongyang, Jaap Timmer, said.

“The future now is very uncertain. But it will be tough for the North Koreans, that much is for sure.”

The lives of the country’s 23 million people have improved slightly in recent years despite sanctions already in place and natural disasters such as floods, which strike annually. This is in part due to the economic boom spilling over the border from North Korea’s closest ally and neighbor, China.

“But we have now entered a crunch time,” Mr. Timmer, 58, who has been in North Korea working for the IFRC for two years, said.

The IFRC has about 150 combined staff at 250 locations across the country and, for now, is assuring them that their work will continue.

In recent months, Pyongyang has been claiming humanitarian help is no longer needed but said there was an urgent need for development aid.

In the past few years, there has been an attempt to create a pharmaceutical industry.

Several factories have been built but lie idle because current sanctions prevent imports of the raw materials needed. Instead, the IFRC is supplying medicines and hospital equipment.

While most North Koreans are kept unaware of the growing international crisis over their country’s nuclear ambitions, aid workers are deeply concerned that strongman Kim Jong Il’s brinkmanship will lead to a drying up of cash from donors and further sanctions.

Michael Huggins of the World Food Program said: “The streets are very quiet, which is normal. The people appear poker-faced. We will continue to work our operations as our services are still required.”


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