By Yun Suh-young
Officials from the European Union arrived in North Korea Monday to assess the food situation there, news reports said.
Five workers from the European Commission’s humanitarian aid department will evaluate the availability of food in North Korea through June 17. The investigation team will visit hospitals and orphanages and meet with North Korean citizens and officials to see firsthand what the conditions are like for food.
The team has divided itself into two groups to cover as many areas as possible. They will also contact officials from international organizations and non-governmental organizations.
The decision of whether or not to provide food aid to North Korea will be made within two or three weeks, said an official from the EU’s humanitarian aid department.
Washington also sent its inspection team to Pyongyang on May 24 to assess the local food situation. The U.S. team has completed its nine-day evaluation on June 2.
The U.S. team, led by Robert King, the human rights envoy, has not yet made any final decisions about providing food aid to North Korea.
Washington will likely wait for the EU inspection team to finish its evaluation before making its decision.
U.S. officials have said they will wait for a comprehensive analysis about the overall food situation in North Korea first. They will also compare its results with those of the World Food Program and other NGOs.
The EU aid department pulled out its workers from Pyongyang when its office there was closed in May 2008.
