U.S.-based Radio Free Asia reported Wednesday that the World Food Program (WFP) plans to increase the number of its Korean-speaking staff to raise the transparency of its North Korea aid project.
WFP's Pyongyang office said a higher number of Korean-speaking staff will boost the transparency of its food distribution system.
Among the 15 international staff members at the Pyongyang office, five monitor food distribution. Out of this five, only two speak Korean.
In the past, the WFP has received assistance from local interpreters when there was a shortage of Korean-speaking staff during food distribution. Observers say this lowers the transparency of the WFP's distribution system.
The Pyongyang office said Ertharin Cousin, the head of the WFP, asked for cooperation in its monitoring activities when she met with North Korea's parliamentary chief, Kim Yong-nam, and Foreign Minister Ri Su-yong during her visit to the North last month.
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