The Republic of Korea donated 600 tonnes of rice for the COVID-19 affected Myanmar through Tier 3 programme of ASEAN Plus Three Emergency Rice Reserve (APTERR).

“Our donation aims for the difficulties of Myanmar during COVID-19 pandemic. When I became a Korean ambassador to Myanmar, I donated rice to Rakhine in 2018, to Bago in 2019 and now 600 tonees of rice in Yangon,” said Korean Ambassador Mr Lee Sang-hwa.

The ASEAN Emergency Rice Reserve programme was cooperated by the People’s Republic of China, Japan and ROK and the East Asia Emergency Rice Reserve programme was initiated in 2014. According to the agreement, if some member countries need rice, the other countries have to provide rice under three programmes– rice reserve in business purpose, with the long-term loan and stockpiled rice.

Rice will be provided to over 60,000 persons in Kachin, Kayah, Kayin, Chin, Sagaing, Taninthayi, Magway, Mon, Shan and Ayeyawady affected by COVID-19 pandemic.

Each family of these persons will receive a 40-kg rice bag under this programme.

The relief rice is currently stored at the warehouses of Department of Agriculture in Thanlyin Township of Yangon Region, and it will be distributed to respective regions and states.

According to the Tier 3 of ASEAN Plus Three Emergency Rice Reserve, the ROK donated rice worth $38 million to Myanmar in 2018, 500 tonnes of rice in 2019 and 600 tonnes of rice in 2020.

(Translated by Khine Thazin Han)