Engaged Buddhism: Seon Master Pomnyun Sunim Pledges 10,000 Tons of Food Aid for Children in North Korea

By Craig Lewis | | Buddhistdoor Global

Due the sensitive and evolving political situation in North Korea, circumstances at the time of publication necessitated the removal of some details and images from this article to protect the identities of those involved and to ensure that the valuable work of JTS is not jeopardized. With North Korea’s state media reporting that the country is facing its worst drought in decades, driven by the lowest levels of rainfall in a century, food shortages and hunger in the isolated nation are becoming growing crises. Korean Seon (Zen) master Venerable Pomnyun Sunim* (법륜스님), founder and chairman of the Join Together Society (JTS), an international Buddhist humanitarian relief organization, recently led an aid delegation to North Korea, where he reviewed the situation firsthand, resolving to provide 10,000 tons of corn for hungry communities, in particular vulnerable children. “I visited [several areas in North Korea], where people were busy getting ready for the farming season,” Pomnyun Sunim related following his return to South Korea. “Although I had limited access to certain areas, North Korean society gave an overall impression of being clean and neat. Also, maybe because of their efforts to do everything independently without relying on a foreign power, I felt a sense of vibrancy in North Korea. However, I witnessed that there were many areas that seemed to be struggling due to the lack of food supplies.” According to the Rodong Sinmun, the official newspaper of the Central Committee of the Workers’ Party of Korea, North Korea recorded precipitation levels of just 56.3 millimeters in the year to 17 May—the lowest since 1917—and water reserves in the country’s lakes and reservoirs are running extremely low. “The ongoing drought is causing a significant effect on the cultivation of wheat, barley, corn, potatoes, and beans,” the North Korean newspaper reported. (Al Jazeera)

Sunim, who has actively engaged with North Korea for many years, campaigning for peace and supporting North Korean refugees through the provision of clothing, food, and medicine, observed that members of the more privileged segments of North Korean society had access to government food supplies, and even many ordinary citizens were managing make a sustainable living. North Koreans living outside the direct care of the government, however, have been facing the hardest struggle, he said, adding that gauging exactly how much hardship they are experiencing was extremely difficult. “The people who are suffering the most severe food shortages are said to be those working for mining companies,” Sunim explained. “The big mining companies, with tens of thousands of laborers, are the ones experiencing the most difficulty.” He noted that rock, coal, iron, and other mining projects have been directly impacted by international economic sanctions and were thus unable to export their output. “As a result, their revenue has been cut by more than half compared with what they used to make exporting coal to other countries, so they cannot afford to buy enough food to feed their workers,” he said. “The laborers are complaining that they cannot work because they don’t have enough to eat. Hearing such stories made me realize the severity of the food shortage situation.” Based on the findings of Pomnyun Sunim’s visit and his suggested course of response, JTS’s Planning Committee resolved to conduct a fundraising campaign to provide corn to North Korea starting from Vesak, the day marking the birth of the historical Buddha, known in Korea as Seokga tansinil (석가탄신일), which this year was celebrated in South Korea on 12 May. This special fundraising campaign will run until 30 June.