4-1-7-605 Hiroo, Shibuyaku, Tokyo Tel: 3486-4337, Fax: 81-3-3486-6789

web:    http://www.northkorea.org
e-mail: bernie@media.mit.edu

BERNARD KRISHER
CHAIRMAN

KIM DAE JUNG BACKS INTERNET APPEAL TO IMMUNIZE
A MILLION NORTH KOREAN DISEASE -THREATENED CHILDREN
 

South Korean President Kim Dae Jung today endorsed an Internet donation campaign to provide emergency immunizations of malnourished North Korea children in danger of succumbing to the major preventable diseases.

In a message to Bernard Krisher, chairman of a Web page campaign providing food and medical assistance to North Korea since 1995, which is now targeting its donation efforts to assisting UNICEF projects there, President Kim stated:

"I wish to highly commend you for your continued humanitarian efforts to provide food and medical supplies to the people in North Korea and I support your campaign through the Internet to assist the UNICEF-run immunization program."

Mr. Krisher had been accepting donations for another UNICEF project, to grow mushrooms in North Korean nursery and elementary schools, which are consumed by the hungry children, when an emergency appeal reached him from UNICEF in North Korea asking his Web page's assistance to obtain $2.8 million for an immunization program aimed at protecting over 2 million children of the nation's nearly 23 million people, under the age of 5, many of whom were no longer being immunized. All children were once immunized under a well-run health system that has deteriorated due to worsening economic conditions.

Nowadays less than half the children are fully immunized against all the major preventable diseases when once nearly 99 percent were, according to the UNICEF survey.

The difficulties have occurred as a result of the closure of pharmaceutical factories, erratic electricity output, lack of gasoline for transport of medicine and the breakdown of refrigeration equipment now threatening to create severe health problems of epidemic proportions, according to UNICEF.

Since UNICEF-Pyongyang issued its report and proposal to immunize all children last month, $450,000 was received from its headquarters but the branch still remains short of about $2 million to achieve its universal immunization goal.

The full text of the UNICEF appeal, a detailed study of North Korean health problems and UNICEF's planned execution of immunizations may be accessed via the Internet Appeal for North Koran Flood Victims website: www.northkorea.org

Contributions to the appeal will be wired speedily directly to the UNICEF office in Pyongyang with transparent documentation disseminated on the Web site that lists the names and amounts provided by donors, evidence of bank transfers to the UNICEF office in Pyongyang, acknowledgments and periodic reports of how the funds are used and monitored to execute the immunizations.

One hundred percent of donations will be wired to UNICEF in Pyongyang. No deductions will be made for administrative or other expenses before they reach UNICEF. The Sumitomo Bank and the ING branch in Tokyo are both waiving banking fees in the receipt of and wiring of funds.

Heretofore South Korean donors were restricted in providing relief funds to North Korea except through the South Korean Red Cross which under previous administrations was guided by political considerations. The endorsement of this appeal by President Kim Dae Jung opens up a wider option to the Korean people to see their funds transparently used for a specific project to reduce the suffering of children.

"This is the most transparent program providing help to the suffering population in North Korea," said Mr. Krisher. "Donors will know and be able to track exactly where their money is going. There is no way it could be diverted for any purpose than for which it is intended."

He added: "There are still some governments reluctant to recognize that politics should not be linked to alleviating human suffering, especially innocent children and the elderly. Contributing to this appeal is one way for citizens who enjoy three meals a day, a roof over their head and the security of having their own children securely immunized, to save the lives of those threatened by hunger and illness. It will also assure that their country's image will not be blemished one day for having ignored the suffering of their neighbors."

Several fund raising events are in the process of being organized. One, in Tokyo, will highlight the presence of former House of Representatives speaker, Ms. Takako Doi, another supporter of the UNICEF immunization program and Japan's prime magician, Princess ????

Donations are accepted through the following channels:

United States:

Checks: U.S. dollar checks may be issued to *North Korea Famine Relief* and mailed to:
Internet Appeal for North Korean Flood Victims (Attn: Bernard Krisher), 4-1-7-605 Hiroo Shibuya-ku, Tokyo.

This donation may be tax deductible by stating "UNICEF project" in the memo column.

Bank Account: Funds may also be wired to the account: North Korea Famine Relief,
at the Cambridge Savings Bank, Cambridge, MA 02138.

Account number: 535559208. Bank tracking number: 211371120
 

South Korea

Bank Account: Hope Worldwide Korea
Shinhan Bank account no. 335-05-004481

Contact: Yu, Hae Keun
Hope Worldwide Korea
11F., Woosung Bldg., 907-4, Mok-dong
Yangchun-gu, Seoul, Korea

Tel: 642-8075
 

Japan

Bank Accounts:

(Yen account)
Kitachosen Suigai Kyuen
Sumitomo Ginko
Hiroo Garden Hills Shiten
Futsu Yokin # 748838

(Dollar account)
North Korea Flood Relief
Sumitomo Bank
Hiroo Garden Hills Branch
Futsu Yokin # 748849

Contact: Bernard or Akiko Krisher
Internet Appeal for North Korean Flood Victims
4-1-7-605 Hiroo, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo 150-0012
Tel: 3486-4337, Fax: 3486-6789, e-mail: bernie@media.mit.edu
 

CREDIT CARDS ALSO ACCEPTED.

FAX OR MAIL following information to +81-3-3486-6789 (Japan)

Card type: VISA MASTER JCB AMEX
Card number:
Expiration date:
Card owner's name:
Amount of contribution:
Signature: