Recorded presentation

Sanghyuk S Shin, MS, Korean Americans United for Peace, 2830 International Blvd. #201, Oakland, CA 94601, 510.813.1599, sshin_ceip@mindspring.com

The recent increase in militarization by both sides of the U.S. – North Korea conflict has prolonged the ongoing humanitarian crisis in North Korea. After years of steadily improving relations between North Korea and the U.S., war-like hostility escalated in 2001 when the U.S. President Bush branded North Korea as a part of an “axis of evil”. Since then, the U.S. policy of “regime change” in North Korea has included threatening to conduct a “pre-emptive strike” with the possible use of nuclear weapons and upgrading U.S. military capacity in South Korea by $11 billion. In response, the North Korean government expelled international inspectors, withdrew from the Non-Proliferation Treaty, and continues to maintain a military consisting of 1.2 million persons with a $1.4 billion budget. The enormous military spending by all sides has diverted limited resources from investments in the economic and health infrastructures of North Korea, prolonging the humanitarian crisis that began in 1995 after an ecological disaster decimated the North Korean agriculture. Today, North Korean children continue to suffer from widespread chronic malnutrition, estimated at 39% in 2002. In addition, a severe shortage of trained health personnel and medical supplies has crippled the health care system, leading to the re-emergence of diseases such as malaria and tuberculosis. Estimated excess mortality since 1995 range from 200,000 to 1 million. This presentation will discuss specific policies proposed by Korean-American organizations that promote peace as the essential first step towards a sustained improvement of health and food security in North Korea.

Learning Objectives:

• Describe ways in which militarization is linked to food security and public health in North Korea.
• Articulate the need for promoting peace as the essential first step for a sustained improvement of health in North Korea.
• List four policies advocated by Korean organizations for peace in North Korea.

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.

Recorded presentation