Following the signing of a memorandum of cooperation with the government authorities of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) in Pyongyang, in June, 2006, Pastor Jairyong Lee, president of the Northern Asia-Pacific region of the Seventh-day Adventist Church (NSD), visited the country again in late March. He led a delegation of South Korean church leaders to discuss shipments of humanitarian supplies to the country.

According to Pastor Lee, the first shipment took place on February 18, 2007. The container included doctor's gowns, shoes, caps and gowns for nurses, as well as soymilk and assorted foodstuffs.

The recent visit to North Korea included discussions about future support of the medical and health work in the country. The Seventh-day Adventist church is planning to send a container of medical supplies to Pyongyang three to four times a year.

The border with North Korea is just 25 miles from the NSD office near Seoul, the capital of South Korea. The church in the region is aiming to keep a long-term working relationship with this neighbouring country with a population of some 24 million. [Editor: Rajmund Dabrowski for ANN/APD]