Humanitarian Exemption Requests

I. Relevant Security Council resolution and Implementation Assistance Notice No. 7

The comprehensive humanitarian exemption mechanism as established by the 1718 Sanctions Committee to facilitate the delivery of humanitarian assistance to the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) is provided by the following:

Implementation Assistance Notice No. 7 Document PDF (IAN No 7): “Guidelines for Obtaining Exemptions to Deliver Humanitarian Assistance to the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea”

    * Optional template documents to be used for exemption applications:

    Annex I: Project outline (PDF, Word)

    Annex II : Detailed list of items and specifications for proposed humanitarian assistance (PDFExcel)

II. Who can submit a request for a humanitarian exemption to the Committee?

  • Member States;
  • International Organizations; and
  • Non-Governmental Organizations

that carry out assistance/relief activities in the DPRK for the benefit of the civilian population of the DPRK.

International and non-governmental organizations can seek exemptions from the Committee through:

1) Member States; or

2) the Office of the United Nations Resident Coordinator to the DPRK if a Member State is unable or any other way not in a position to route such a request to the Committee; or

3) through the Committee Secretary if both a Member State and the Office of the United Nations Resident Coordinator in the DPRK are unable to submit in any other way not in a position to submit exemption requests to the Committee.

For more information, please see IAN No 7 Document PDF.

*United Nations agencies, ICRC, IFRC, IOC, or an organization that has received two or more exemptions during 18 months preceding the date of the new application, or whose exemption request is in regards to providing urgent emergency humanitarian assistance to the DPRK people, such as aid to fight against pandemic outbreaks, like Covid-19, or aid to respond to natural disaster, can submit exemption requests directly to the Committee via the Committee Secretary, in accordance with the relevant national authorities and organization bylaws.

For more information, please see IAN No. 7

III. What is the format of a request for humanitarian exemption?

Requests are to be submitted, on official letterhead, containing the following elements:

  • Nature of humanitarian assistance proposed to be provided to the DPRK for the benefit of the civilian population of the DPRK;
  • Explanation of the DPRK recipients and criteria employed to select beneficiaries;
  • Reasons for requiring a Committee exemption;
  • Detailed description with quantities and relevant specifications (including, to the extent possible, make, model and manufacturer) of the goods and services to be provided within the exemption period to the DPRK for what purpose and to whom;
  • Planned date(s) of proposed transfer to the DPRK within the exemption period;
  • Planned route(s) and method(s) of transfer including ports of departure and entry to be used for shipments;
  • All parties involved in the transfers, including DPRK entities, whether receiving authorization or or providing support, that can be identified at the time of submission of the application;
  • Financial transactions associated with the transfers;
  • Annex containing itemized list of all planned transfers of goods and services with quantities, approximate value of goods and services in U.S. dollars or local currency, and planned shipment date;
  • Confirmation whether the Committee approval letter and its annex can be published on the 1718 Committee website upon issuance, and
  • Measures to ensure that assistance to be provided to the DPRK are used for the intended purposes, such as monitoring plan, and not diverted for prohibited purposes.

Applicants obtaining exemptions should do their utmost to consolidate all planned shipments into three shipments or less every nine months, per project, to the extent practicable. In case of necessary and well-justified changes to items planned for transfer to the DPRK (such as exact specifications and quantities) and/or the method and parties involved in the transactions (such a the final shipping and delivery plan), the applicant shoud promptly provide the Committee with all changes needed for review through a follow-up exemption letter.The requested changes will be reviewed and appropriate adjustments made to the exemption, where necessary.  If an applicant is unable to provide the above information, the applicant should submit the reason the information is missing and a plan to update the Committee as the details become available.  Applicants facing any challenges during the process should consult the relevant Member State, the Committee Chair, the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, or the United Nations Resident Coordinator in the DPRK. 

For applicants' convenience and optional use, the Committee has made available the following optional template documents to be used for exemption applications:

Annex I: Project outline (PDF, Word)

Annex II : Detailed list of items and specifications for proposed humanitarian assistance (PDF, Excel)

IV. How to submit requests for exemptions for humanitarian assistance to the Committee

  1. Request from Member States are to be submitted to:
    • The Chair of the Committee, Her Excellency Mrs. Pascale Christine Baeriswyl (Switzerland) through the Permanent Mission of Switzerland to the United Nations with copy to the Secretary of the Committee, Mr. Davey McNab, Email address: sc-1718-committee@un.org
  2. Requests from international and Non-Governmental Organizations if a Member State is unable or in any other way not in a position to route such a request to the Committee are to be submitted to:
    • The United Nations Resident Coordinator’s Office for DPRK, Email address: rcs-dprkorea@un.org
  3. Requests from International and Non-Governmental Organizations if both a Member State and the Office of the United Nations Resident Coordinator in the DPRK are unable or in any other way not in the position to submit exemption requests to the Committee:

 United Nations agencies, ICRC, IFRC, IOC, or an organization that has received two or more exemptions during 18 months preceding the date of the new application, or whose exemption request is in regards to providing urgent emergency humanitarian assistance to the DPRK people, such as aid to fight against pandemic outbreaks, like Covid-19, or aid to respond to natural disaster, can submit exemption requests directly to the Committee via the Committee Secretary, in accordance with the relevant national authorities and organization bylaws.

V. Committee Exemption Approval Process

The Committee endeavors to process humanitarian exemption requests as quickly as possible to provide decisions within a reasonable timeframe in accordance withe the Committee Guidelines.  Exemptions will be granted for a period of nine months from the date of the letter by which the Committee has granted the exemption, unless the applicant specifically requests otherwise and provides a well-founded justification, such as transportation delays related to a pandemic, for the Committee to consider.

If the applicant that received an exemption is unable to complete the project within the exemption timeframe, the applicant should submit an extension request with an explanation, at least ten business days before the expiration date of the exemption. The Committee will review extension requests, update exemption requests, and urgent emergency humanitarian assistance requests, such as those aimed at responding to pandemic outbreaks, like COVID-19, or natural disasters on an expedited timeframe.

VI. Committee Exemption Approval Letter

If the Committee approves a request, it will issue a Committee Exemption Approval Letter to the requesting party that explains specifically what the Committee approves for transfer to the DPRK. An annex with an approved list of goods and services by quantity and planned shipment date will be appended to the Committee approval letter.

The Committee approval letter and its annex will be published on the 1718 Committee website upon issuance for the public for the exemption period. The approval letter will be translated to all UN languages and the applicant may share it with relevant parties. If there is a need for the annex to be translated, for example, to help with procurement, customs, or financial transactions, the applicant should include a translated version in its initial application to be posted online once approved.

Limitations of 1718 Committee Exemptions

Receiving exemptions from the Committee for United Nations sanctions does not exempt those organizations and their proposed transactions from the relevant domestic regulations and licensing requirements of Member States involved in those transactions. All international or non-governmental organizations requesting exemptions from the Committee must also fully observe relevant regulatory and licensing requirements of Member States that have jurisdiction over all aspects of the proposed transactions and involved parties, such as submitting a translated version of the annex of the Committee exemption approval letter to the customs authority in countries where English is not an official language and adhering to cash carry limitations. 

As of 30 October 2023, the Committee has approved a total of 99 humanitarian exemption requests in accordance with paragraph 25 of Security Council resolution 2397 (2017).

 

VI. Humanitarian Exemption(s) in Effect

 

Exemption granted to

Purpose of the humanitarian assistance Approval letter and annex (containing approved list of goods and services and planned shipment date)

Start date of approved exemption

Date of expiration of approved exemption 

International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC)   Procurement and shipment of materials and equipment for IFRC disaster preparedness and capacity-building in the DPRK, granted for an exceptional 12-month timeframe given the challenges related to the COVID-19 pandemic.  IFRC exemption request - approval letter and annex  2 December 2021  28 November 2023 

Christian Friends of Korea (CFK)

Procurement and shipment to the DPRK of materials and equipment required for CFK’s humanitarian projects for vulnerable populations of tuberculosis, hepatitis and pediatric patients in the DPRK, extended for an exceptional 12-month timeframe given the challenges related to the shipment of goods as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. CFK exemption request – approval letter and annex 7 August 2019

11 December 2024

UNICEF Shipment of items essential for UNICEF’s programmes in the DPRK, including its health, nutrition, and water, sanitation and hygiene programmes, necessary for the delivery of safe water supply to communities and children in schools, nurseries and kindergartens, and to allow for the effective treatment of individuals admitted to hospitals. UNICEF exemption request – approval letter and annex

9 December 2019

16 March 2024

World Food Programme Shipment of items to the DPRK for WFP’s humanitarian assistance activities addressing malnutrition and food insecurity of the civilian population of the DPRK, provided for in WFP’s DPRK Interim Country Strategic Plan (2019-2021).  WFP exemption request – approval letter and annex  20 January 2020  26 July 2023 
SAM Care International  Shipment of medical equipment, medicine and food into the DPRK for the Pyong Yang Third Hospital as part of SAM Care International’s humanitarian medical support aimed at updating medical machinery and equipment, ensuring access to medicines that treat illnesses and alleviate pain, sending nutritionally fortified foods to treat extreme hunger and malnutrition, and supporting the recovery of surgical and post-operative patients.  SAM Care International exemption request – approval letter and annex  7 February 2020  7 March 2024
Finland

Import of items into the DPRK within the scope of a humanitarian assistance project undertaken by the nongovernmental organization Finn Church Aid (FCA), to enhance the food security of vulnerable primary school aged children in two counties in North Hwanghae province through supporting supplementary school feeding programs, and to conduct disaster risk reduction and education in emergencies activities to bolster the resilience of vulnerable children and their families.

Finland exemption request – approval note verbale and annex 24 June 2020 13 February 2024
Italy Shipment of agricultural machinery and equipment to the DPRK by AGROTEC SPA, an Italian company which was contracted by the European Commission to export the abovementioned machinery and equipment for the purpose of improving food security in the DPRK. Italy exemption request – approval note verbale and annex 25 July 2019 29 August 2024
UNICEF

Shipment of medical equipment essential for UNICEF’s operations in the DPRK focused on mitigating the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on tuberculosis and malaria, as part of the COVID-19 Response Mechanism (C19RM), to increase the level of preparedness and operational readiness for COVID-19 in both tuberculosis and malaria programmes, granted for an exceptional 12-month timeframe given the challenges related to the manufacturing and shipment of goods as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

UNICEF exemption request – approval letter and annex 24 July 2020 11 August 2023
UNRC

Import of items to support the Improving Nutrition of Vulnerable Groups project, in Nampo and South Pyongan Province, through the provision of a glass greenhouse system and related materials.

Exemption request – approval letter and annex 4 August 2020 28 December 2024
Republic of Korea

Import of items by the nongovernmental organization Medical Aid for Children (MAC) for a medical equipment assistance project aimed at providing healthcare services to children and other vulnerable groups in the DPRK.

RoK exemption request – approval letter and annex 13 August 2020 10 April 2024
UNICEF

Shipment of items essential for UNICEF’s programmes in the DPRK, including in the areas of health, nutrition, and water, sanitation and hygiene, necessary for the delivery of safe water supply to communities and children in schools and nurseries; the effective treatment of individuals admitted to hospitals, in particular to assist mothers with complicated deliveries that require surgery; and to support statistics offices and resource centers that collect and report data relevant to children, to enable the effective situational and statistical monitoring of UNICEF’s humanitarian programmes.

UNICEF exemption request – approval letter and annex 2 June 2020 31 July 2024
UNRC Import of items by Yoido Full Gospel Missions Foundation (YGMF) for a project treating severe diseases of vulnerable groups in the DPRK. Exemption request – approval letter and annex 28 October 2021 19 January 2025
Republic of Korea Import of items to the DPRK to support the construction of a disinfection-purposed swine house facility and to provide disinfection equipment in order to prevent the spread of African Swine Fever. ROK exemption request – approval letter and annex 3 November 2021 8 November 2023
World Health Organization Import of three vehicles for the exclusive use of the WHO Country Office in the DPRK in order to provide safe and secure travel to WHO staff, which is a prerequisite for WHO’s humanitarian work, necessary for fulfilling its programmatic requirements in the DPRK and enhancing its capacity and capability for field monitoring of its projects. WHO exemption request – approval letter and annex 26 September 2019 12 September 2024
Republic of Korea Import of items into the DPRK by the nongovernmental organization Inter-Korean Economic Cooperation Research Center (IKECRC) to engage in humanitarian activities for emergency relief towards COVID-19 prevention and control in North Pyongan Province. ROK exemption request – approval letter and annex 26 January 2022 26 January 2023
UNICEF Shipment of Walk-In Cold Rooms (WICR) Cold Chain Equipment, vital for UNICEF’s vaccination programmes in the DPRK. UNICEF exemption request – approval letter and annex 9 March 2022 9 March 2023
Republic of Korea

Import of coal briquette machines by the nongovernmental organization Coal Briquettes for Neighbors in Korea (CBNK), for the prevention of water and food-borne diseases among vulnerable populations in Goseong County, Gangwon Province of the DPRK.

ROK exemption request – approval letter and annex 5 April 2022 3 April 2024
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) Shipment of items vital for activities undertaken by FAO in the DPRK under a project entitled “Mitigating the impact of disasters using the anticipatory action approach in the grain basket of DPRK” supported by the Directorate-General for European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations, aimed at ensuring food security by strengthening the capacity of the agricultural sector to cope with natural disasters. FAO exemption request – approval letter and annex 6 May 2022 6 May 2023
Ignis Community Shipment to the DPRK of necessary medical and rehabilitation equipment for the Pyongyang Spine and Rehabilitation Centre (PYSRC). Ignis Community exemption request – approval letter and annex 12 August 2022 4 February 2024
Eugene Bell Foundation (EBF) Shipment of supplies necessary to maintain and expand EBF’s ongoing diagnosis and treatment program for multi-drug resistant tuberculosis and extensively-drug resistant tuberculosis in the DPRK. EBF exemption request – approval letter and annex 2 September 2022 13 October 2024
UNICEF  Shipment of items vital for UNICEF’s operations in the DPRK focused on health, nutrition, and water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH), the majority of which are for delivering safe water supply to the communities, nurseries/kindergartens, schools and clinics/hospitals.  UNICEF exemption request – approval letter and annex  14 October 2022  14 October 2024 
Italy Transfer of funds to cover operational costs of the European Union Food Security Office for the purpose of providing humanitarian assistance in the DPRK by Agriconsulting SA (AESA), an Italian company which was awarded an EU tender for providing technical support for food-related matters to the DPRK. Italy exemption request - approval letter [and annex] 26 October 2022 26 October 2023
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)  Import of items related to the FAO project to support soybean production for improving nutritional status of urban and rural populations in the DPRK. FAO exemption request – approval letter and annex  3 April 2023  3 April 2024
World Health Organization Import of oxygen concentrators into the DPRK as respiratory care equipment for critically ill patients suffering from 
COVID-19 / influenza and respiratory illness who need oxygen support. 
WHO exemption request – approval letter and annex 2 May 2023 2 February 2024
World Health Organization Importation of tents into the DPRK, to facilitate WHO’s provision of humanitarian aid and relief to the civilian population during the occurrence of flood, drought, and other emergencies. WHO exemption request – approval letter and annex 20 July 2023 20 April 2024
UNICEF  Shipment of items vital for UNICEF’s operations in the DPRK focused on health, nutrition, water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH), necessary for the delivery of safe water supply to communities, including nurseries, schools, clinics and hospitals, and crucial for the provision of essential lifesaving services for mothers and their children. UNICEF exemption request – approval letter and annex 28 July 2023 28 July 2024
World Health Organization  Import of IT items into the DPRK for the exclusive use of the Country 
Office and its personnel to facilitate the continued and effective operations of the WHO Country 
Office for DPRK in Pyongyang 
 
WHO exemption request – approval letter and annex  18 September 2023   18 June 2024 
International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) Shipment of equipment consisting of spare vehicle parts to strengthen the capacity of the DPRK Red Cross Society to respond to natural disaster and emergencies. ICRC exemption request - approval letter and annex     5 October 2023 5 July 2024