핀란드, 20년 이어오던 '인도적 대북 지원' 중단 Finnish church NGO quits North Korea over tougher sanctions
Finnish church NGO quits North Korea over tougher sanctions
The Pentecostal NGO Fida said that international banking sanctions are making it impossible to implement aid projects.
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The Pentecostal Church-run Finnish NGO Fida has said that it is pulling out of North Korea, after operating in the closed country for more than 20 years.
File photo of farmers in North Korea. Image: Adrian Bradshaw / EPA
핀란드, 20년 이어오던 '인도적 대북 지원' 중단 "美 제재로 힘든 결정" 핀란드가 국제사회의 대북 제재 강화로 20년 넘게 이어오던 인도적 대북 지원사업을 중단한다. 10일(현지 시각) 핀란드 STT통신에 따르면, 핀란드 정부로부터 지원금을 받아 인도적 대북 지원사업을 진행해왔던 핀란드 최대 국제구호단체 핀란드개발협력기구(FIDA)가 대북 사업을 중단할 예정이다. 하리 하콜라 FIDA 회장은 미국이 주도하는 국제사회의 대북 제재 강화로 대북 사업을 중단하게 됐다고 밝혔다. 그는 대북 제재 때문에 국제 은행의 대북 송금이 중단되면서 대북 사업에 필요한 자금을 조달하는 것이 불가능해졌다고 전했다. 하콜라 회장은 "우리 단체는 대북 제재가 예상외로 세계적으로 강화되면서 인도적 활동을 하지 못하게 돼 실망스럽다"고 말했다. 그는 "(북한에) 중대한 도움이 필요하다는 것을 고려하면 대북 활동을 포기하기로 한 것은 매우 어려운 결정이었다"고 덧붙였다. FIDA는 지난 20년간 핀란드 정부로부터 대북 개발협력 지원금을 받으며 북한에 인력을 파견해 농업 및 보건의료 지원사업을 진행해왔다. 이 사업은 2021년까지 진행될 예정이었으나 이달 안으로 중단될 예정이다. 올해 이 사업에 배정된 지원금은 41만4000유로(약 5억5000만원)다. 이경민 기자 조선일보 출처 : http://news.chosun.com/site/data/html_dir/2019/06/11/2019061101288.htm |
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Fida, which engages in missionary and development work, said on Tuesday that it will end its programmes in North Korea because sanctions imposed by the US in the past few months have made operations increasingly difficult.
The round of sanctions target international banking, which Fida said is making it impossible for the organisation to implement projects in the pariah state.
"We are disappointed that the tightening of sanctions has suddenly begun to prevent global humanitarian operations. Leaving North Korea was a difficult decision for us because there is a great need for aid in the country. We will have to end the long-term work that has made our operation functional," said Fida secretary general Harri Hakola.
North Korea flag with Finland flag on a grunge cracked wall Stock Photo /123RF.co
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Food aid for rural communities
Fida will terminate its Finnish Foreign Ministry-funded national programme in North Korea in June. It had budgeted 414,000 euros for its work there. The development programme has improved food security and access to care and was due to continue to 2021.
The NGO said that it had just delivered 412 tonnes of maize and soy beans in emergency aid to 134 day care facilities in Kangwon in the west of the country. It will satisfy the daily dietary needs of 12,000 people until the end of September.
Earlier this year, Pyonyang had requested aid from Finland to help ease a worsening food shortage.
Fida has assisted with the development of potato farming in North Korea since 2001. It said that the crop has provided additional nutrition for rural communities and reduced malnutrition among children.
In Finland, Fida is well known for its chain of second-hand clothing stores, which was established in 1979. It is also the country's largest development aid and missionary organisation.
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