North Korea's vaccination demand irks
visitors to nuclear plant site
by
staff reporter
August 01, 2002
North Korea requires many South
Koreans visiting the North's light water reactor construction site to
receive a vaccination shot for measles, and that is creating confusion for a
ceremony next Wednesday to mark the start of concrete work.
"South Koreans born after 1957 who are scheduled to attend ceremony for the
start of concrete work at the nuclear reactor construction site in Shinpo
must be inoculated," an official at the Korean Peninsula Energy Development
Organization said. "Foreigners are not included in the demand; it only
applies to South Koreans."
Many South Korean officials will have to go to local hospitals to confirm
they have had their measles shots or get new ones. Without such proof, they
will be subject to the North's quarantine inspection team at Shinpo Port.
Some officials worry that the North will administer shots at the port, and
the North generally does not use disposable needles.
There has been no case of measles in the South since July of last year.
Dignitaries expected to attend the ceremony include Jang Seon-sup, the South
Korean planning chief for the light water reactor project; Jack Pritchard,
the U.S. special envoy to the Korean Peninsula; Suzuki Kazunari, Japanese
ambassador to the organization and Jean-Pierre Leng, ambassador of the
European Commission.
ALL INFORMATION, DATA, AND
MATERIAL CONTAINED, PRESENTED, OR PROVIDED HERE IS FOR GENERAL INFORMATION
PURPOSES ONLY AND IS NOT TO BE CONSTRUED AS REFLECTING THE KNOWLEDGE OR OPINIONS
OF THE PUBLISHER, AND IS NOT TO BE CONSTRUED OR INTENDED AS PROVIDING MEDICAL OR
LEGAL ADVICE. THE DECISION WHETHER OR NOT TO VACCINATE IS AN IMPORTANT AND
COMPLEX ISSUE AND SHOULD BE MADE BY YOU, AND YOU ALONE, IN CONSULTATION WITH
YOUR HEALTH CARE PROVIDER.
"A foolish faith in authority is the worst enemy of truth."
-- Albert Einstein, letter to a friend, 1901
"I know of no safe depository of the ultimate powers of the society but the people themselves, and if we think them not enlightened enough to exercise control with a wholesome discretion, the remedy is not to take it from them, but to inform their discretion by education."
-- Thomas Jefferson, letter to William C. Jarvis, September 28, 1820
"What's the point of vaccination if it doesn't protect you from the unvaccinated?"
-- Sandy Gottstein
"Who gets to decide what the greater good is and how many will be sacrificed to it?"