WHO`s Regional Office Is to Be Established in Pyongyang Next Month

The Ministry of Health and Welfare (MHW) announced yesterday that World Health Organization (WHO) would establish the regional office in Pyongyang, North Korean. A MHW official said yesterday that ``the discussion between the North Korean government and WHO in regard to the establishment of regional office was completed. The former Norway Prime Minister Gro Harlem Brundtland, the current General Secretary of WHO, will attend the opening ceremony of the North Korean regional office on November 18th.``

It was reported that the General Secretary Brundtland would visit South Korea on 20th through either Beijing or Panmunjeom after attending the opening ceremony.

If the WHO regional office is established in Pyongyang, the South-North cooperation in the field of health and medicine, such as the supply of essential medical products and the aid of restoration of medical system, is anticipated to be strengthened.

Although WHO has sought to establish the regional office in North Korea for the last ten years, North Korea has opposed to it. Instead, only an emergent relief office in which one North Korean official maintains the contact with WHO has been operated.

Jung Young-Gwan yongari@donga.com