South Korean bishops meet to discuss aid for North after atomic test
(Tues.10 Oct. 2006):- The international crisis sparked by Pyongyang’s nuclear test
has changed the agenda of the Korean bishops, who are now trying to work out aid delivery
to the people in the north of the peninsula. AsiaNews sources in Seoul say the director-general
of the local Caritas will go to North Korea Wednesday, 11th Oct. In recent
days, the bishops have been busy with the general assembly of the episcopal conference
that comes to a close on 12 October. But they had to modify the agenda of works to
draw up a common position with regard to the new threat thrown onto the international
scene by Pyongyang. The AsiaNews sources said the bishops were set to gather all those
involved in the sector of humanitarian aid for North Korea, to evaluate the impact
of the crisis on projects of the local Church and Caritas for the people there, who
have been worn down by the disastrous agricultural policies of the regime of Kim Jong-il.
On Tuesday Oct. 10th morning, the national director of the Korean Caritas, Fr Paul
Jeremiah Hwang, participated in an extraordinary meeting. His contribution is especially
important because the priest leaves Wed. 11th Oct. for North Korea. His
visit – described as “providential” was not cancelled or put off, a sign of Pyongyang’s
desperate need of international humanitarian aid, especially in view of sanctions
about to be imposed by the UN.According to initial leaks, conspicuous among the punishments
lined up by the United Nations for the nuclear provocation, is the embargo on ships
going to and coming from North Korean coasts. This, together with the blockade of
Chinese merchandise, isolates North Korea from all possible food sources. Some 23
million North Koreans risk dying of hunger