Kono opposes giving food aid to N Korea

"North Koreans are suffering from severe food insecurity"

"Food insecurity"? Is that the new politically correct way to say North Korean citizens are starving while their leader test-fires new missiles?

I'm all for helping the starving people of North Korea but any aid sent to them would most likely end up in the mouths of the military first.

People starve in NK but none blame their leader Kim. Probably part of the strategy of Kim anyway, if the people starve, they are easier to manipulate and control!

Help the people, but if history is any guide, the food aid any country sends to NK will be repackaged and given to the people as a gift from Kim!

Kono is right..... for decades now countries have signed agreements, given aid, and had meetings, but N. Korea has not changed its agenda one bit. Giving aid to N. Korea would be like extending credit to Donald Trump.

Kono is right..... for decades now countries have signed agreements, given aid, and had meetings,

What a elementary description of decades of difficult negotiations with NK.

And they haven't 'given aid', they've taken it away with more and more sanctions.

The best way to help the people of a poor nation is by trading with them as much as possible. Only trade leads to higher standards of living. US does everything possible to cut trade with NK. If they really wanted to help them, or even if they wanted to get rid of their regime, they should bombard them with trade, that is certain to lead to a regime change sooner rather than later.

Bypass the government in the north then!

How about parachuting food aid into the country?

Maybe that is too simple a solution for Taro Kono?

@Strangerland.... the United Nations 2018 Humanitarian Aid for N. Korea was $111 Million. N. Korea spent $640 on "luxury goods", in the previous year from China. Got no clue why you would not associate Humanitarian aid with at some cooperation regarding Nuclear Weapons and Missile Development. And 2018 was not the only year of course. The U.N., which is heavily funded by the USA, has, just in the last 10 years, given N. Korea over $700 Million in Aid. It is obvious that North Korea is taking full advantage of the situation and giving nothing in return. Maybe you should just continue to support your lazy brother-in-law while he drives around in a Porsche.

Yes we oppose the humane thing but still wanna talk policy.

Its this kind of mindset that will never lead to the realisation of a meeting. These pretend "politicians" are only kidding themselves, playing to the gullible crowd seeing as elections are around the corner. Yawn.

"We can,t talk with the regime , so lets starve the NK countryside folk says Kono , more santions, no food aid....whilst mulling which 5 star restaurant he will be dining at this weekend."

It's primarily a duty of the NK people to effect (not affect!) changes to the regime in their own country. No one else's but theirs.

Kono is right; starve them and force the people to bring down the regime.

Irrespective of the costs.

If you have a child, and don’t feed it cause you don’t like the color of its hair, you would be arrested by child welfare services.

Kono is right; starve them and force the people to bring down the regime.

Irrespective of the costs.

Ahhh the institutionalised racism coupled with faux greatness that demands subservience rears its ugly head again. Let the damn kids starve to death. Bring them to their knees. Let them crawl to their graves if they don't bend the knee to us. Disgusting!!

"Ahhh the institutionalised racism coupled with faux greatness that demands subservience rears its ugly head again. Let the damn kids starve to death. Bring them to their knees. Let them crawl to their graves Ahhh the institutionalised racism coupled with faux greatness that demands subservience rears its ugly head again. Let the damn kids starve to death. Bring them to their knees. Let them crawl to their graves if they don't bend the knee to us.

You're more correct than you'll ever know.

Except to the "if they don't bend the knee to us." rubbish.*

It's impossible to give real help to North Korean people.

I think giving food may help better relations . . . .

With economic sanctions, North Korea regime will fall during the tenure of Trump.

Starving Koreans to death as punishment for not being subservient to Japan? Wowee, it's straight back to the 30s for Monsieur Kono and his little supporters. Nostalgia-fest!

What next, Uncle Sam dropping bombs full of bubonic plague infected fleas on the Norks for a real 50s revival?

Food aid has been part of the engagement policy practiced by Japan and Western countries for many years. It hasn't worked. How obvious is that?

"Starving Koreans to death as punishment for not being subservient to Japan? Wowee, it's straight back to the 30s for Monsieur Kono and his little supporters. Nostalgia-fest!"

While you're at it find out who's duty is it to feed the Korean people.

I can guarantee is not Japan's. Or America's. Not even Kiribati's.

This is the perfect example of "biting the hand that feeds you". How long will you endure the "bites", before you just give up? People and animals have a measured lifetime..... Countries can go on for centuries.

zichi: "The people of NK are not responsible for the actions of its dictatorship" But the globe is responsible for the actions of US global dictatorship; they have appeased the US too much.

"Shameful that the dictatorship finds money for weapons but unable to feed the people,". Shameful that the US finds money to continue its global war but has so many homeless people and does not have adequate medical services for its people.

Poor diplomatic skills is the Japanese government and here he can see how Mr Kono is demonstrating!

If Japan sending food aid to North Korea while North Korea is testing their missiles....do you think the world will blames japan or North Korea?  This is something what Japanese politician like Abe san hard to acknowledging!

SaikoPhysco; " but N. Korea has not changed its agenda one bit" No, NK want the same rights as the US, as Israel as ... NK want the right to determine their own destination and to defend themselves. NK does not want to be dictated to by the US like so many countries of the world. Its time people admitted that they are dominated by the US and started to push back, started to get a backbone. Kono supports US foreign policy: any nation that resists US domination and dictatorship will be starved or bombed into submission. Same as the US is doing in Venezuela.

Food aid does not reach to the starving people who actually need it. Even if it does under surveillance of UN, it's been taken away by the military afterwards. How many times we have been seeing the same routine.

SaikoPhysco; " but N. Korea has not changed its agenda one bit" No, NK want the same rights as the US, as Israel as ... NK want the right to determine their own destination and to defend themselves. NK does not want to be dictated to by the US like so many countries of the world. Its time people admitted that they are dominated by the US and started to push back, started to get a backbone. Kono supports US foreign policy: any nation that resists US domination and dictatorship will be starved or bombed into submission. Same as the US is doing in Venezuela.

better replace the word NK with Kim Family and his ilks around

I'm all for helping the starving people of North Korea but any aid sent to them would most likely end up in the mouths of the military first.

North Korea has conscription (military service) for every adult male and some women. The military are starving people of North Korea (and their families). You cannot aid one without propping up the other.

It is a dire situation but it is the responsibility of the North Korean leadership, not foreign intervention, to take action to address it. They have the means, just not the will. It is not a question of resources, it is a matter of priorities. You cannot save the people without bailing out the leadership from the ramifications of their poor judgement that are bringing them to the negotiating table. Reality is unfortunately rarely so simple.

So many sad comments. Feeding starving people is not an economic or political transaction. It is an act of compassion.

I'd bet the last place NK would ask for aid is...,.... You guessed it!!! Japan !!! Exactly why Kono feels compelled to deny that which in all probability hasn't been asked of them is beyond me.

I'm a little confused..... when did North Korea become such a benevolent and nice country? Didn't they abduct countless Japanese just for the purpose of using them as teachers. Haven't they launch missiles at over Japan and constantly threaten to Nuke just about everybody and their brother. Doesn't the Dictator live in luxury while his people starve? And yet.... yes, and yet, there are people that are supporting N.K. Perhaps they'd like to find asylum in N.K. themselves.

BigYen: "the crippling effects to the economy of international sanctions applied to the country,". Sanctions placed and enforced by the US because NK wont kowtow to it, Same situation in Venezuela, same situation in Cuba, same situation in.... Standard operando of US; place sanctions, starve the people, weaken the government and then invade. Study the history of Central and South America over the past 70 years; US footprint everywhere.

SaikoPhysco: Haven't they launch missiles at over Japan and constantly threaten to Nuke just about everybody and their brother." Which country actually used a Nuke against innocent Japanese civilians? In the last 70 years how many nations has NK invaded and how many nations has the US invaded and instigated regime change because they would not be dominated? Which nation has 800 military basis around the world? Which nation is threatening to invade Venezuela? Which nation has place sanctions on 30 other nations?

Reading history is very valuable!

@riperez..... I guess you can imagine a world without the USA. Boy oh boy, the world would be so, so much better.

North Korea has conscription (military service) for every adult male and some women. The military are starving people of North Korea (and their families). You cannot aid one without propping up the other.

Have you watched their military parades for last 2 decades or so? They(conscripted people) look quite all-right these days. They used to be terrible and look almost falling down. You didn't see 6ft+ SP guardng the overfed piggy faced fat boy?

The Fat Controller seems to have plenty of food available. Only when he becomes as thin as the rest of his people will it be time to consider giving food aid.

zichi: Try ANY Scandinavian country to start.

"And do tell how the starving NK country folk are going to overthrow the regime that is not to Japan,s liking?...With sticks and stones.?"

"Not to Japan's liking"

Oh yeah; only Japan, because the rest of the world likes and agree with the NK's regime. Thanks for letting me know. How silly of me. Please do accept my sincerest apologies.

"Perhaps you can parachute into NK and lead the uprising with all that vigour..."

I' m not Korean, thus none of my business. It's the duty of Korean fathers to stop "polishing" Kim's nuts and remove them instead. That's how revolutions started in the past everywhere in the world.

You ought to stop this fallacy of the poor, powerless Korean folk, incapable of sublevation, unless aided from Western "democracies". It's a Korean responsibility, nothing to do with, Japan, America, Britain or my Untie Gertrude!

As far as "all that vigour", thanks. To sum up: still very young, never drink alcohol, never smocked, never taken drugs, always doing sports, not eat junk food. Yeah, yer rite; alota vigour, trust moi.

Given how "fat and healthy" Kim is, it appears that he keeps whatever humanitarian aid, especially food, from his own people. So why should the world give humanitarian aid to North Korea, knowing it won't get to the people?