Pyongyang General Hospital groundbreaking from DPR Korea’s Korea Magazine. Link below to magazine.
With DPR Korea and the rest of the world dealing with the tragedy that is COVID19, travel has been disrupted and the country’s borders are shut. Admittedly, this is a painful period for us, as our programs are run largely on a cost-recovery basis, and all travel-related programs ( most of our work) have been postponed while we still have ongoing scholarships and operating costs. However, we survived the Korea border shutdown during Ebola, and we expect to do so now. The important issue of peace and development on the Korean peninsula is a long-term challenge and our team remains committed to tackling it.
During this period, we are exploring creative ways to reset our program direction and to prepare for quick implementation of programs post-lifting of the border lockdown. We continue to be in touch with Koreans bi-weekly to keep the momentum going for our initiatives. Some of the things we have ongoing are:
1. A scholarship program that is in the middle of its implementation cycle
2. Discussions on an “incubator program” proof of concept that will support startup training
3. Discussions on and creation of content for delivery in a non-face to face context in case border remains shut for an extended period. Without easy access to the internet for most North Koreans, this is not a trivial problem. We believe face to face discussions are most effective for two way understanding, but have to plan for contingencies with the current situation.
4. Discussions on delivery of aid with other partners to cope with the COVID19 situation
As the COVID19 and public health is top of the mind for all countries, North Korea included, we are glad to follow the progress of the Pyongyang General Hospital. We received a magazine spread from some of our DPR Korean partners capturing the groundbreaking ceremony for this key facility as well as other developments from the country. We also hope that healthcare support is available across the country to guard against the risks of COVID19.
Thank you to all our supporters and volunteers and we hope to continue pushing ahead with our initiatives this period.