Source: Korea Herald
Country: Democratic People's Republic of Korea
The government is working on measures
to check the quality and quantity of corn which is purchased and packed
in
China for delivery to North Korea, officials said yesterday.
The move follows a North Korean complaint Monday that the corn packed in 50kg bags was substandard and, in some
cases, contained impurities such as plaster powder. In a message to his South Korean counterpart, Li Song-ho, acting
president of North Korea's Red Cross, also said there were even stones and pieces of wood in some bags.
Li urged Kang Young-hoon, president of the South (Korean National Red Cross), to take appropriate measures to
prevent similar cases in the future. An official at the Unification Ministry yesterday admitted Li's claims.
He said part of delivery to North Korea last Thursday and Friday was confirmed as being substandard and containing
impure materials. The official said South Korean Red Cross officials, who monitored the transfer of food aid across the
China-North Korea border, had informed the Chinese corn suppliers of these incidences.
The Chinese suppliers and regional government authorities overseeing them have promised to exchange the corn
containing harmful materials and make up for the shortage of amount, he said. The official said problems involving the
corn purchased in China had been expected, saying it is impossible for a limited number of South Korean officials to
check the corn packing procedures which take place at a number of places in China.
He said the ministry will ask the South Korean donators to include penalty provisions in their future contracts with
Chinese suppliers when purchasing corn for North Korea. Contracts have not been signed yet for about half of the
50,000 tons of corn South Korea pledged to provide to North Korea at inter-Korean Red Cross talks in Beijing last
month.
The official said South Korea, however, has no plan to give a formal response to Li's message.
Copyright 1997 Korea Herald. All rights reserved.
Designed by ISM Corporation
China for delivery to North Korea, officials said yesterday.
The move follows a North Korean complaint Monday that the corn packed in 50kg bags was substandard and, in some
cases, contained impurities such as plaster powder. In a message to his South Korean counterpart, Li Song-ho, acting
president of North Korea's Red Cross, also said there were even stones and pieces of wood in some bags.
Li urged Kang Young-hoon, president of the South (Korean National Red Cross), to take appropriate measures to
prevent similar cases in the future. An official at the Unification Ministry yesterday admitted Li's claims.
He said part of delivery to North Korea last Thursday and Friday was confirmed as being substandard and containing
impure materials. The official said South Korean Red Cross officials, who monitored the transfer of food aid across the
China-North Korea border, had informed the Chinese corn suppliers of these incidences.
The Chinese suppliers and regional government authorities overseeing them have promised to exchange the corn
containing harmful materials and make up for the shortage of amount, he said. The official said problems involving the
corn purchased in China had been expected, saying it is impossible for a limited number of South Korean officials to
check the corn packing procedures which take place at a number of places in China.
He said the ministry will ask the South Korean donators to include penalty provisions in their future contracts with
Chinese suppliers when purchasing corn for North Korea. Contracts have not been signed yet for about half of the
50,000 tons of corn South Korea pledged to provide to North Korea at inter-Korean Red Cross talks in Beijing last
month.
The official said South Korea, however, has no plan to give a formal response to Li's message.
Copyright 1997 Korea Herald. All rights reserved.
Designed by ISM Corporation