North Americans meet with women in North Korea
9/11/2000 35 code By United Methodist News Service A North American delegation of women was successful in establishing contact with North Korean women during a recent trip to the Asian country, a member of the group says.
In the capital of Pyongyang, the group had post-worship meetings with women at Bongsu Church and Chilgol Church as well as members of a house church on Tong Il Road, according to Peggy Billings, the United Methodist representative. All are Protestant churches. The five-member delegation also met with the vice chairperson of the Korean Democratic Women's Federation, an organization that relates to women's activities.
The team was dispatched in late August by the Partnership with Women Task Group of Church World Service, which is part of the U.S. National Council of Churches. Other members were Nancy Anne Hudson, United Church of Canada; Kathy Anne Jeffries, Christian Church (Disciples of Christ); Wilma Samuella Kucharek, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America; and Carmen Alicia Nebot, United Church of Christ.
The group wanted to initiate contacts that could lead to more direct relationships among women in North Korea, South Korea and other parts of the world. The Korean Christian Federation and the international affairs staff of the North Korean government served as hosts.
Billings, who had last visited the country in 1993, perceived a more open atmosphere. "People were quite open to receive us everywhere we went," she said.
Although the group's itinerary was arranged by the international affairs staff, which also provided the interpreter, "they complied with all of our requests as far as our schedule was concerned," she said. Besides meeting with women, the delegation visited a noodle factory and flood control and land reclamation projects.
"We had some wonderful opportunities to see the ordinary life of people in the countryside, mainly just from driving around," Billings added.
Although a briefing from World Food Programme staff confirmed that conditions in North Korea have improved a bit since famine struck, Billings warned that "the country has not recovered from the consecutive natural disasters, and they are experiencing another drought this year. Food aid from the international church community and from the world community is still needed."
A Church World Service shipment of $96,000 worth of cooking oil, rice, blankets and other supplies arrived separately at the time of the delegation's visit. The United Methodist Church was among the donors of those goods.
After the North Korea visit, the group traveled to South Korea, where it was hosted by the women's desk of the National Council of Churches of Korea and by three other South Korean women's groups.
Billings said the team will report on Oct. 18 to the Partnership With Women Task Group and it expects to recommend future visits, along with an international meeting for women from the two Koreas and elsewhere.
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