Suwon City and Korean Sharing Movement Jointly Pursue Humanitarian Aid to North Korea and Inter-Korean Exchanges

[Suwon Ilbo=Reporter Seo Dong-young] Suwon City and the Korean Sharing Movement agreed to jointly pursue humanitarian aid projects to North Korea and inter-Korean exchange and cooperation projects targeting North Korean child care facilities and medical facilities.

The city and the Korean Sharing Movement signed a ‘Work Agreement between Suwon City and the Korean Sharing Movement for the Efficient Implementation of Humanitarian Aid to North Korea and Inter-Korean Exchange and Cooperation Projects’ at Suwon City Hall on the 26th.

The signing ceremony was attended by Suwon Mayor Yeom Tae-young, Yun Yeo-doo, Executive Co-Chairman of the Korean Sharing Movement, and Yang Jin-ha, Chairman of the City Council's Planning and Economy Committee.

The agreement includes provisions for both sides to consult and implement humanitarian aid projects to North Korea, such as providing food and quarantine supplies as well as health and medical products to child care facilities including rural daycare centers and kindergartens, schools, and medical facilities such as hospitals.

For this purpose, the city will provide administrative and financial support, while the Korean Sharing Movement will carry out all relevant procedures and guarantee procedures for on-site monitoring visits to North Korea to verify the delivery of goods.

Suwon City, which has proactively prepared for inter-Korean exchange and reunification since establishing the Inter-Korean Exchange and Cooperation Committee in 2017, signed an agreement with the Korea-North Korea Economic and Cultural Cooperation Foundation in August last year and has been preparing inter-city cooperation projects between the North and South.

Executive Co-Chairman Yun Yeo-doo stated, “After this work agreement, if exchanges with North Korea become possible, we will prepare in advance with Suwon City so that cooperation projects can be carried out quickly.”

Mayor Yeom Tae-young said, “Although the situation is difficult with the deadlock in inter-Korean relations and COVID-19 overlapping, Suwon City and the Korean Sharing Movement will be able to demonstrate a valuable partnership.” He added, “Suwon City will continue to prepare for inter-Korean reconciliation and cooperation and make efforts to create opportunities.”

Meanwhile, the Korean Sharing Movement, established in 1996, is implementing various humanitarian assistance projects including agriculture, health, and child welfare, inter-Korean exchange and cooperation projects, and support projects for Korean Chinese and Koryo-saram (Korean diaspora).