[KS] Fwd: [EugeneBell] Spring 2006 Trip to North Korea

[gkl1 at columbia.edu]

Some on the list may be interested in this recent report from the
Eugene Bell Foundation.

Gari Ledyard

----- Forwarded message from "alice at eugenebell.org"
<alice at eugenebell.org> -----
    Date: Wed, 24 May 2006 18:16:12 -0400
    From: "alice at eugenebell.org" <alice at eugenebell.org>
Reply-To: "alice at eugenebell.org" <alice at eugenebell.org>
 Subject: [EugeneBell] Spring 2006 Trip to North Korea
      To: Alice Jean Suh <alice at eugenebell.org>

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
For more information, please contact:
Alice Suh
202-329-2410
alice at eugenebell.org

Spring 2006 Trip to the DPR Korea (North Korea)
Significant and Unexpected Advances

Seoul, Korea 24 May 2006--Returning from a two-week visit to remote
medical
facilities in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (North
Korea), the
Eugene Bell Foundation today announced significant and unexpected
advances
in access, program development and medical training in the country.

The six-person delegation from EugeneBell was in North Korea from
May 9th to
May 20th and visited medical facilities in South Pyongan Province
and the
Nampo City areas.

Although this was a regularly scheduled visit to medical facilities
enrolled
under EugeneBell's Partner Package Program, the delegation reported
several
exciting new developments.

Despite continuing diplomatic tensions over the stalled Six Party
Talks,
EugeneBell's delegation was given a warm reception. While EugeneBell
normally enjoys unusual access, not for several years has a visit
included
every single institution on the delegation's request list. The
delegation
visited nineteen local hospitals and tuberculosis treatment
facilities in
all.

This spring's visit also marked the beginning of a new program
focused on
pre-natal and infant nutrition. Thanks to a generous donation from
Kirk
Humanitarian, an initial agreement was concluded on a new nutrition
program
to be based in the South Pyongan Province Children's Hospital in
Pyongsong
City. As support is identified, the new nutrition supplement program
will be
extended to the pediatric departments of the more than twenty local
hospitals in South Pyongan Province. Most of the local hospitals
visited on
this trip reported they had never received a regular supply of
vitamins.

Finally, the delegation also met with officials from the Ministry of
Public
Health and Korean American People's Exchange Society (KAPES) to
formalize
arrangements for a conference on multi-drug resistant tuberculosis
to be
held this summer in the United States. A five-member delegation from
the
DPRK will attend the conference and visit tuberculosis treatment
facilities
in several American cities.

In all, the delegation experienced one of the most relaxed and
productive
visits ever, evidence that EugeneBell's ten-year effort to improve
the lives
of ordinary citizens continues to gain wide support within North
Korea.

-- 
Alice Jean Suh
Washington Office Director
Eugene Bell Foundation
alice at eugenebell.org
+1-202-429-3877 (direct office)
+1-202-429-6063 (fax)

Eugene Bell Foundation
PO Box 18614, Washington, DC 20036-8614

----- End forwarded message -----


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