Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Real Reality]

S. Korea Gave North US$3.5 Billion Since 1995
A U.S. report reveals that South Korea gave the North a total of US$3.493 billion in assistance, including fertilizer and food aid, between 1995 and 2004. The report by the Congressional Research Service said South Korean aid for the North remained at a yearly average of $25 million from 1996 to 1999, after soaring to $240 million during the North Korean famine of 1995. After the inter-Korean summit of 2000, however, the annual average skyrocketed to $590 million.
Chosun Ilbo (June 21, 2005)
http://english.chosun.com/w21data/html/news/200506/200506210015.html

[Wrench]

Is it just me or are Korean's that blind. They are assisting a murderer. I would say to bad you made your own bed now sleep in it.

[Dan The Chainsawman]

Pay off money? Keep them happy enough to keep the north from doing something really stupid like invading?

[Moldy Rutabaga]

And look at all the benefits and gestures of peace and friendship that the North has rained on the South in return!

Ken:>

[Alias]

Where is Soviet_Man with his apologetics?

[Ya-ta Boy]

Stated the way this is, it is inflammatory. Remember that there was no nuclear crisis for most of that decade and there was a major famine. Subtract food aid and fertilizer--humanitarian aid, and how much do you have left?

[soviet_man]

As a general rule, I oppose the concept of the ROK sending money (or other materials) to the DPRK. They have no obligation to do so and I predict little would change if it stopped.

The DPRK has long had the political and economic tools available to exist and prosper entirely on its own devices - without any external sources.

But in saying that, any pro-DPRK stance adopted by the ROK government (or anyone) is not something to strictly oppose.

[On the other hand]

[rapier]

S. Korea Gave Jim Jong Il, his family and cronies, US$3.5 Billion Since 1995

-Just thought I'd correct the title

I'm against giving aid unless it can be assured to reach its deserved target: the poor and oppressed. Too often it simply acts as a band aid to prop up ruthless dictators and their regimes.

Take Zimbabwe for example. Mugabe is now accepting foreign aid after forceing 50% of the country into starvation. What does he do? He expels aid workers as spies, diverts all the resources to his army and loyal supporters, and blockades roads into areas where the majority are of a different ethnicity, or have voted against him in his sham election.
He even brought in new voting rules to enable him to pinpoint exactly which villages had most votes against him, and is currently bulldozing every urban shanty to the ground at gunpoint because they are strongholds of anti-mugabe support.

This is where the North korea association comes in: his vicious presidential guard thugs were trained in torture by North koreans, which he has welcomed into the country.

DON'T send any more aid there.

[Real Reality]

[rapier]

[Pyongshin Sangja]

[Yesterday]

[quote="Real Reality"] South Korean aid for the North remained at a yearly average of $25 million from 1996 to 1999.
Chosun Ilbo (June 21, 2005)

so those guys who disagree with the south giving to the north should also disagree with this?...........

The United States said on Wednesday it will give North Korea 50,000 tonnes of food aid.

http://au.news.yahoo.com/050622/15/utjn.html

[soviet_man]

[Pyongshin Sangja]

Of course they do. Mugabe is, however, a deadman.