S. Korean actor becomes advocate for UN World Food Programme

HONG KONG, Dec. 3 (Yonhap) -- South Korean actor Jang Dong-gun was named
Wednesday as a spokesperson for the UN's food aid branch and charged with the
task of using his celebrity to advocate food distribution projects in some of the
world's poorest countries.
Jang, 36, becomes the latest Ambassador for the Word Food Programme, joining
Hollywood celebrity Drew Barrymore, Howard Buffett, the elder son of billionaire
investor Warren Buffett and Brazilian football player Kaka.
"I feel honored to be appointed as an ambassador for one of the UN umbrella
organizations," Jang said to Yonhap News Agency at Hong Kong.
The star of South Korean film "Taegukgi: Brotherhood of War" was invited to the
first Clinton Global Initiative Asia Meeting, where he was presented with a
letter of appointment.
"I will do my best in order that not only fans of Jang Dong-gun but also many
Asian people come to care more about food shortages in the world," he said.
Currently WFP estimates that more than 112 million school-aged children around
the world are undernourished and live below the poverty line.
Jang also said South Korea needs to contribute to resolving the starvation in
North Korea, saying that he is "willing to visit North Korea."
The WFP, in an appeal made in early September, asked the South to contribute up
to US$60 million for its campaign in the North, warning the communist country
will fall back into famine unless given aid worth about $500 million over the
next 15 months.
South Korea has yet to respond to the appeal, as its relations with Pyongyang
have been strained since the launch of its conservative Lee Myung-bak
administration in February.
North Korea has yet to request annual humanitarian aid shipments this year from
the South, consisting of 400,000 tons of rice and 300,000 tons of fertilizer,
amid the strained ties. Lee's two liberal predecessors had provided the
humanitarian aid for a decade.
ygkim@yna.co.kr