Fertilizer donation to N. Korea was forced

Most of the 40,000 tons of fertilizer worth more than 13 billion won contributed by private firms to be given to North Korea last year were forced levies apportioned by the government, it has been learned.

Rep. Kim Hak-Song of the Grand National Party on Tuesday discovered the compulsory collection from material he obtained from the Korea Gas Corp. in preparation for the upcoming parliamentary inspection of the administration.

According to the proceedings of the 140th board meeting held in June 1999 to deliberate on diversion of budget, the then-president of KGC Han Gab-Su, who is the present minister of agriculture, told the board that the cabinet ministers concerned agreed to ask five leading conglomerates and four major public businesses to donate fertilizer, as the collection campaign led by the Red Cross for the planned shipment of fertilizer aid to North Korea was not successful.

Han then said that Korea Telecom, Pohang Iron and Steel, Korea Electric Power and the Korea Gas Corp. should contribute 3 billion won together, the conglomerates should furnish 1 billion won each, and the Korean International Trade Association and the Korean Chamber of Commerce and Industry should give 1 billion won each.

The combined sum, plus 2 billion won that already had been made available, would amount to 12 billion won that could buy fertilizer in aid of North Korea, Han was quoted as reporting to the meeting.

Early last year the government made it clear that most of the free gift of fertilizer to be given to North Korea as part of widening inter-Korean contact aimed at resolving the question of divided families was to be donated by private sources. Since many of the assumed sources failed to respond actively to the donation drive those public corporations and big businesses were virtually coerced into paying the levies.