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Island Gift to North Korean Children PBEC, Ice Palace, and United Airlines team up to send some holiday cheer HONOLULU (December 2, 2002) — A chance observation will result in a merry Christmas for children in North Korea. Dalton Tanonaka, president of the Pacific Basin Economic Council (PBEC), has secured 125 pairs of ice skates to be delivered to Kumgang on the east coast of North Korea in time for the winter season. "I visited the area last winter and saw children playing on a frozen lake, doing what looked like ice skating and sledding. When I got closer, I realized that the kids were using scrap pieces of wood strapped to their feet and bodies with rope," Tanonaka recalled. "They were happy, but I thought if there was ever a way get them real skates I’d do it," he said. Tanonaka contacted Ice Palace owner Doug Taylor in Honolulu, who happened to be turning over his inventory and had the extra skates available. "I’m happy to contribute in this way," say Taylor. "Maybe it might make a difference in how those North Korean kids view the outside world." United Airlines is also participating in this effort by donating the cost of transporting the boxes of skates to Korea. Tanonaka will personally handover the skates to a representative from South Korea’s Hyundai Asan, the company running the weekly boat transportation to the North. The Hawaii gift will then be distributed by North Korean officials. "Many concerns remain about relations with North Korea, but if the children are the future then this is something that could make an impact in its own small way," said Tanonaka. Media Contact: Ryan Kawailani Ozawa Manager, Information Technology & Communications PBEC International Secretariat 900 Fort Street, Suite 1080 Honolulu, Hawaii, USA 96813 E-Mail: ryan@pbec.org

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