UN Grants Consecutive Sanctions Exemptions for Aid to North Korea... Approval for Import of Dental Equipment

The amount of support is undisclosed

North Korean State Affairs Commission Chairman Kim Jong Un's medical supplies sent to Unpa County People's Hospital and residents of Daecheong-ri, Unpa County, Hwanghaebuk-do, arrived at the county seat on the 15th, according to the Korean Central News Agency. The photo shows residents wearing masks touching the gift boxes.

The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) has approved a sanctions exemption for a South Korean non-governmental organization (NGO)'s dental equipment support project for North Korea. Supplies necessary to improve the oral health of children, pregnant women, and the elderly are scheduled to be delivered to North Korea.

According to a letter posted on the UN Security Council's North Korea Sanctions Committee (1718 Committee) website on the 18th, the committee approved the North Korea oral health support project applied for by the humanitarian aid organization 'Children's Medicine Support Headquarters' on the 13th.

The support items include equipment for scanning patients' teeth and devices for manufacturing dental prosthetics. However, the exact amount of funding for the support was not separately disclosed.

The Sanctions Committee explained the purpose of the project as "providing equipment to improve the oral health and nutrition of vulnerable groups such as children, pregnant women, and the elderly."

The sanctions exemption period is until February 13, 2021, six months from the approval date. The Children's Medicine Support Headquarters must obtain export approval from the Ministry of Unification and deliver the support supplies to North Korea by then.

A Ministry of Unification official stated regarding this sanctions exemption, "The government and the Sanctions Committee have been consulting to supplement the project details," adding, "The government will continue to provide necessary support for private organizations' efforts to assist North Korea." However, the official added, "No export approval application has been submitted to the Ministry of Unification yet."

Established in 1997, the Children's Medicine Support Headquarters is a health and medical NGO working for children in North Korea and worldwide. It has carried out various support activities for North Korea, including the construction of the Mangyongdae Children's General Hospital, provision of pharmaceutical equipment and medicines, and hospital modernization projects.

Meanwhile, the UN North Korea Sanctions Committee has recently been approving sanctions exemptions for applications submitted by domestic private organizations and local governments one after another.

Earlier this month, the committee approved a sanctions exemption for Gyeonggi Province's support project aimed at improving nutrition for vulnerable groups through greenhouse construction assistance.

Additionally, last month, the committee approved twice the sanctions exemption applications from the 'South-North Economic Cooperation Research Institute' for importing COVID-19 quarantine supplies and African Swine Fever (ASF) diagnostic equipment.

Furthermore, in May, the committee also authorized support for greenhouse-related supplies for the 'International Blue Tree' project aimed at agricultural rehabilitation facilities for disabled persons in North Korea.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.