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The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) delegates stationed in Pyongyang sent staff members to the spot where the explosion occurred to grasp the situation and the present extent of the damage. A Korean Red Cross official said Friday, ¡°Representatives of the IFRC in North Korea is checking the damage situation by sending staff to the spot. The IFRC will officially report to the Red Cross offices in each country as soon as possible.¡±
The official said, ¡°IFRC's Pyongyang delegation have been sending medical supplies and food to North Korean hospitals, so enough medicine and food are saved up in the storehouse for this emergency,¡± and added that IFRC and Red Cross offices around the world would provide support should North Korea officially request it.
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Employees of the Korean Red Cross call colleagues in Beijing to confirm the situation on Friday after news of an explosion at the North Korea's Ryongchon Station was reported.
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10 employees of the IFRC delegation are permanently stationed in Pyongyang. Meanwhile, the Korean Red Cross announced that they would actively support the North if there were any requests for aid related to the explosion at Ryongchon Station.
A South Korean Red Cross official said, ¡°Chairman of the South Korean Red Cross Lee Yoon-gu, who is visiting Pyongyang to deliver medicine to the North, called Seoul on Friday morning.¡± The official added that North Korea has yet to ask for aid from the South Korean Red Cross delegation.
The official said, ¡°Since the South Korean Red Cross is a rescue organization and goes to help disasters in foreign countries, even to Iran¡¯s last earthquake, so it is natural to help the North Koreans, who are the same people as we. If North Korea asks for aid through the South Korean Red Cross or IFRC, we will positively give support after consideration.¡±
(Kim Dong-sup, dskim@chosun.com )
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