The Christian Association for Medical Mission was first established in 1989 by a small group of Christian Korean-American physicians and businessmen living in Michigan with the purpose of providing medical assistance to the people in North Korea. The initial impetus for the organization came from Dr. Sai R. Park, who was invited by the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) to inspect their healthcare delivery system and provide advice on what assistance they needed in the form of facilities, equipment and medical technologies. Our team's initial visit to the DPRK in 1989 confirmed that their healthcare system was and still is far short of western standards and that considerable assistance was needed to modernize their medical facilities. They were also surprised to know that North Koreans were willing to receive outside help, especially from genuinely concerned CAMM members in America. They have also shown willingness to allow, albeit with some restrictions, Christian worship and sharing the Gospel with their people. CAMM quickly attracted many dedicated Korean-American physicians and businessmen and soon established branch offices in Atlanta, Boston, Buffalo, Chicago, Kansas, Los Angeles, New York, Minneapolis and Seattle.
In 1991, CAMM's objective and activities became more sharply focused when officials of the DPRK offered their newly-built hospital in Pyongyang, named The Third People's Hospital, to be the "CAMM" Hospital that we were to equip and supply, so that when it was completed, would be a showcase hospital in the application of western healthcare technology in the DPRK. During the past seven years we have been, with our own modest fundraising capability, assisting this 500-bed hospital to become an adequately equipped modern hospital with western standards.
In 1995, AKAPE (Association of Korean American Physicians for Evangelism, Elder David Cho as President) and CAMM (Dr. Moon J. Pak as President) joined together in a concerted effort for our cause and strengthened our organization. From then on our medical mission teams visited the DPRK many times with medical equipment, pharmaceuticals, medical journals and reference books for the hospital library and ambulances for their patients.
The hospital opened its doors in November of 1995 and is currently operational. Our CAMM member physicians visited the Third Pyongyang Hospital last September 26, 1997 and treated many Out-Patients as well as In-Patients in the operating room. They also visited Moonduk area to help needy people. When the operations become fully functional, visiting teams of physicians with varying specialties will be going there on a rotational basis in regular interval.
Recently, new shipment of medical equipment, Pedialytes, antibiotics, vitamins and wheel chairs were sent to The Third Pyongyang Hospital, worth $450,000 in large container through generous donation by World Medical Relief in Detroit, Michigan. Mr. Bernard Krisher has been an integral part of our shipping operation and his humanitarian support to the DPRK is well recognized worldwide.