The Republic of Korea announced on 20 August 2026 an additional USD 5 million in funding to the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) to support life-saving food and nutrition assistance in Myanmar, according to a press release by WFP. The contribution arrives at a critical juncture, as WFP analysis warns that up to 5 million people could be pushed into acute food insecurity if elevated food and fuel prices persist. The funds will finance the second phase of REACH: Responding with Emergency Assistance for Conflict-affected Households, a joint initiative by the Republic of Korea and WFP in Myanmar. Through REACH Phase 2, WFP will deliver relief food assistance to 140,000 people. Nutrition support will also reach 15,000 children under five and pregnant and breastfeeding women.
Myanmar is currently the world’s sixth hungriest country, with 12.4 million people, nearly one in four, facing acute hunger. About 4 million people remain internally displaced, while more than 360,000 children are acutely malnourished. Assistance under REACH Phase 2 will prioritize internally displaced people and families affected by conflict and recent shocks, including the March 2025 earthquake. The Republic of Korea has long supported WFP’s work in Myanmar across food, nutrition, and community resilience programs. This longstanding partnership focuses on alleviating hunger and malnutrition while strengthening communities against climate shocks.
Food affordability is deteriorating rapidly across the country. The national average cost of a basic food basket is now 20 percent higher today compared with late February, with Rakhine recording the steepest increase at 43 percent. Rising transport costs, conflict along key supply routes, and global fuel price volatility are placing further pressure on households already struggling to meet their basic needs. In its first phase, WFP reached more than 420,000 people with life-saving food assistance across Myanmar. That figure included 30,200 children under five and 16,000 pregnant and breastfeeding women who received vital nutrition support.
“No family should have to face hunger alone, especially in times of conflict, displacement and hardship,” said H.E. Mr. Bae Byeongsoo, Chargé d’Affaires of the Republic of Korea to Myanmar. He added that Korea remains committed to standing with the people of Myanmar through its partnership with WFP. Michael Dunford, WFP Representative and Country Director in Myanmar, said Korea’s continued partnership is helping WFP keep life-saving assistance moving at a time when millions more people in Myanmar risk going hungry. “For families affected by conflict, displacement, rising food prices and repeated shocks, this support means more than a meal,” he said. He described the assistance as “a lifeline in crisis, and the difference between despair and dignity.”
As humanitarian needs continue to rise across Myanmar, sustained and predictable support remains critical. The REACH initiative demonstrates the impact of the Republic of Korea’s partnership with WFP. The two partners are expanding this proven model of collaboration so that more crisis-affected families can receive a lifeline before hunger tightens its grip even further. The new contribution builds on years of Korean support for food, nutrition, and resilience programs in the country. It signals a scaled-up response to the growing humanitarian needs facing Myanmar’s most vulnerable communities.