Ban urges Japan to give food aid to N Korea

Tuesday 01st July, 02:44 PM JST

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Latest 15 of 19 Total Comments Show All

timeon at 05:48 PM JST - 1st July

　Japan has no fault that his citizens are abducted by a terrorist state. NK idiots have full responsibility for the starvation of their people. I don't see how you can intercross responsibility here.

zucronium, I spent all my cash on booze and chicks. I'm gonna starve in a few days, it's your fault if you don't send me 100,000 yen immediately
treebeard at 06:53 PM JST - 1st July

maybe the Moon man and his UN could condemn N. Korea for it's oppression of it own people for more than 5 decades... instead of pouring his and it's contempt upon free nations that do more than their share to help the needy in the world, since his UN is useless.
JoeBigs at 07:13 PM JST - 1st July

Let`em starve, no one has cared before this so why start now. Btw did you know that China shares a boarder with NK? You know something else, China also has lots of rice.....Now why does Japan have to give the NKs rice?

To hell with the NK state let them get their hand out from their Northern owner..........

Hell if Ban (South Korean) really wanted to help he would be in SK right now pushing the issue instead of coming to Japan for a hand out. Up theres....
blaze524 at 07:35 PM JST - 1st July

"Let 'em starve"...nice way of separating the government's actions from it's people. What did the NK citizens do to deserve such scorn? In most countries, people do not have a direct way of influencing their government's decisions. This is especially true in the case of NK.
RepublicofTexas at 07:58 PM JST - 1st July

Japan has shouldn't donate rice to the North Koreans, because the North Korean government is just going to waste it. That food is not going to end up in the mouth of people who need it. Instead Japan should send the food to sub-Saharan African nations or other countries having problems with the rise in food prices. Nations like China or South Korea should provide North Korea's people with food and use their influence to ensure it gets to the starving masses.
tclh at 08:07 PM JST - 1st July

I think Japan should keep all the food at home and give FREE meals for its own residents.NK should do something to PLEASE Japan first.
bushlover at 09:31 PM JST - 1st July

I agree. Ban food aid to North Korea!!
OssanULTRA at 10:14 PM JST - 1st July

This is so stupid. If Japan donates rice to NK, not only will they lose leverage in resolving the abduction issue, but since NK doesn't permit verification, the rice is going to go to the NKPLA in accordance with their "Songun" policy. What doesn't end up in the mouths of military is going to end up onthe black market at prices the starving masses canb't afford. And why is this Ban even suggesting that a UN member donate food to a non-UN member (NK has only observer status) that is widely known to be in violation of nearly every humanitarian standard estanlished by the UN itself?
chardk1 at 02:54 AM JST - 2nd July

It does seem complicated to say "we must separate the suffering of the people from the incompetence of the state." At what point are you just prolonging their suffering by helping to prop up the horrible regime that is the real root of the problem?

On the other hand, Japan has repeatedly stressed the importance of the UN and respecting the consensus of the global community, so it's going to seem a little hypocritical at times like this.
Hughgarse at 11:43 AM JST - 2nd July

they`ll never do it..
Seiharinokaze at 07:28 PM JST - 2nd July

Perhaps it's partly for South Korea. SK wants to delay the collapse of North Korea so that she will not have to shoulder an enormous burden by herself yet. It makes sense Mr. Ban urges Japan to give food aid to N. Korea. The UN is often no less than a tool to strive for some national interests.
bushlover at 09:51 PM JST - 3rd July

[And why is this Ban even suggesting that a UN member donate food to a non-UN member (NK has only observer status) that is widely known to be in violation of nearly every humanitarian standard estanlished by the UN itself?]

And they fought actively AGAINST the UN in the 50s. Along with one of the Permanent members too. How ironic this world is.
timorborder at 10:06 PM JST - 3rd July

My grand-dad fought against Germany and Japan in World War 2, and North Korea/China during the Korean War (basically from start to finish) as a mid-level/senior level infantry commander. Despite seeing some pretty horrific atrocity scenes in World War 2 in New Guinea, he reckoned that acts carried out by North Korea (against other Koreans) during the Korean War were even worse.

For the life of me, I cannot understand why the West is relaxing its attitude towards North Korea. This is a country that has clearly supported terrorist acts in the past (aircraft bombings, etc). It is also a country that has looked to obtain foreign currency reserves via the state-manufacturing of illegal drugs that are then sold in many countries. North Korea has also been a long time forger of foreign currencies (US Super K bank notes, etc), it has also a pretty poor record vis-a-vis keeping its promises. Finally, and worst of all, it is a nation that has enslaved its own people and condemned them to lives in a state that is far worse than anything appearing in Solzhenitsyn's "Gulag Archipelago."

And the UN says we should send food aid to this country? The only aid that the leadership of North Korea should get is in putting the noose around their heads for crimes against humanity.
bushlover at 09:07 PM JST - 4th July

timorborder: Well Said!! We shouldn't support terrorists nations.
JoeBigs at 11:25 PM JST - 4th July

"Let 'em starve"...nice way of separating the government's actions from it's people. What did the NK citizens do to deserve such scorn? In most countries, people do not have a direct way of influencing their government's decisions. This is especially true in the case of NK.

Sorry so long to respond, buuuuut in NK the government are the people. Why give them aid when it will happen is the government will get it and screw the people? Hmm logic is a wonderful....we give aid to Kim and all he will do is sell it on the open market.......Food is big yen right now...