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MSF and North Korea 1995-1998

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All Speaking Out Case Studies > MSF and North Korea 1995-1998

The MSF in North Korea 1995-1998’ case study is describing the constraints and dilemmas that led Médecins Sans Frontières to speak out publicly while its teams were trying to bring assistance to the North Korean population on its territory between 1995 and 1998 and to the North Korean refugees in Asia in the following years:

Questions and dilemmas:

  • Until which limit, can MSF, in order to draw closer to a population in distress, accept to work without being able to apply the basic principles of humanitarian action: access to populations, free evaluation of needs and supervision of the destination of our assistance?
  • Should MSF accept to work for a population oppressed by a totalitarian regime with the risk of its assistance serving to reinforce this oppression, support this regime?
  • Whilst making public calls for emergency aid for the North Korean health system, was MSF not participating in reinforcing this regime?

Download the case study

Additional materials

MAP MSF Programmes North Korea 1995-1998
MSF Programs in North Korea 1995-1998
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