	The NGO Dilemma1

Non-governmental organizations (NGOs) have been active in North Korea since the 1990s. In food assistance programs, according to several sources, in spite of initial North Korean efforts to hamper NGOs by limiting movements by their staff and refusing to allow Korean speakers to accompany them, over time some NGOs have obtained as good or better access and monitoring than much larger international organizations. Congress may wish to consider the role of NGOs in North Korea as part of its oversight of the U.S.-North Korean relationship, and also because of their potential role in delivering humanitarian assistance. Recently, the Obama Administration has been considering whether to restart an earlier aid program begun under the Bush Administration in 2008. Some have argued that through the implementation of their work NGOs may have promoted at least some degree of transparency and a measure of accountability for the aid recipients. It is, however, difficult to assess such effects, given North Korea's isolation. Current Status of NGO Humanitarian and Development Activities

As of 2010, a few NGOs have remained active in North Korea, most from European aid agencies. U.S. NGOs rely on the Swedish Embassy in Pyongyang. The North Korean government has assigned government contacts to NGOs, to serve as a conduit for their aid and provide the regime with buffers between the organizations and the public. Participating NGOs in InterAction also formed the North Korea Working Group to advocate for assistance to North Korea. North Korean officials encountered NGO representatives who operated on the basis of transparency, and had diverse experiences operating in other countries. FNF provides policy consultation, educational programs working with local NGOs, civic organizations, and educational institutions. Track II Diplomacy

One of the fundamental problems in dealing with the North Korean regime is its deep isolation, which makes traditional diplomatic exchanges difficult. Some NGOs have sought to organize Track II exchanges—that is, sponsoring informal communications between North Korean scientists, academics, military officers and private citizens, and their counterparts in the United States or overseas. Some of these organizations have managed to smuggle cell phones to North Korean citizens as a means to gain information. The broadcasts include news briefs, particularly about the Korean Peninsula, interviews with North Korean defectors, and international commentary on events occurring in North Korea. List of Related CRS Reports

CRS Report R40095, Foreign Assistance to North Korea , by [author name scrubbed] and Mary Beth Nikitin
CRS Report R41259, North Korea: U.S. Relations, Nuclear Diplomacy, and Internal Situation , by [author name scrubbed] and [author name scrubbed]
CRS Report RS22973, Congress and U.S. Policy on North Korean Human Rights and Refugees: Recent Legislation and Implementation , by [author name scrubbed]
CRS Report R41438, North Korea: Legislative Basis for U.S. Economic Sanctions , by [author name scrubbed]
CRS Report R41481, U.S.-South Korea Relations , coordinated by [author name scrubbed]
CRS Report R41363, The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria: U.S.
A number of non-governmental organizations (NGOs)—non-profit, charitable institutions—have been active in North Korea since the mid-1990s. Although their work is relatively limited in scope, it is of interest to U.S. policy-makers because of the deep isolation of the regime in Pyongyang. Several American and international NGOs have provided assistance to North Korea in humanitarian relief, development, health, informal diplomacy, science, communication and education. A relatively recent trend is that a growing number of NGOs, particularly in South Korea, are run by or have North Korean defectors on staff.
Non-governmental organizations' activities in North Korea have stirred some controversy. Some observers believe that NGOs' projects represent one of the few ways to improve the lives of ordinary North Koreans, and that their work provides first-hand accounts about social conditions in North Korea. Some NGOs have a comparative advantage in dealing with North Korea, with over a decade's experience working with North Korean officials and institutions. However, others argue that NGOs' programs aid North Korea's regime, and that given the lack of transparency and tight restrictions imposed on them by the regime, their funds are vulnerable to diversion by North Korean officials.
Two issues bear consideration: Have NGOs contributed to improving the lives of ordinary North Korean citizens in sustainable ways? Can NGOs evaluate the impact of their operations and take steps to minimize diversion of the resources they deliver to North Koreans? In short, are they effective, and should the United States welcome their work in spite of the North Korean regime's treatment of its citizens? This paper will address some of the publicly disclosed activities that NGOs have undertaken in North Korea.
The role of NGOs in North Korea may re-emerge as a congressional interest, as the Obama Administration has expressed interest in restarting humanitarian assistance to North Korea. During the Bush Administration, five large U.S. NGOs were part of a food delivery program that enjoyed some success. Some believed they were more effective than international organizations at navigating the North Korean system to get aid where it was needed. But some organizations opted to cease their operations when North Korean restrictions became too onerous.