Christian Friends of Korea

What Christian Friends of Korea does

Christian Friends of Korea (CFK) is a 501(c)(3) humanitarian organization founded in 1995 and headquartered in Black Mountain, North Carolina. It delivers health, water, agricultural, and medical aid to populations in the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (North Korea) and Mongolia, supporting a network of more than 30 partner facilities that includes the National TB Reference Laboratory, seven provincial hospitals, and eighteen rest homes for the elderly. The organization describes a beneficiary population of roughly 25 million across the two countries.

CFK's core programmatic products are physical aid items rather than software or services. The flagship offering is the Sawyer Point One water filter bucket, distributed to households and care centers to provide clean drinking water. Medical programming centers on tuberculosis and hepatitis care, including the HOPE for Hepatitis initiative, supported by doctor and nurse kits, ICU equipment, and laboratory supplies. Agricultural support includes tractors, greenhouses, seeds, and fertilizer to improve food security at partner facilities, and the organization also distributes solar lighting units. Operations in DPRK are conducted under an exemption from the UN Security Council 1718 sanctions committee, granted on humanitarian grounds.

The business model is entirely donation-funded. CFK is accredited by the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability (ECFA) and is a member of TECHO, and raises contributions from individuals, churches, and faith-based community networks. There are no disclosed prices, contracts, or product revenues; the go-to-market is mission-driven donor engagement rather than commercial sales. In late 2024, Hurricane Helene destroyed CFK's Black Mountain office, and the organization relocated to a temporary facility in early 2025 while continuing program operations abroad.

Name

Christian Friends of Korea

Legal name

Christian Friends of Korea

Website

https://cfk.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1995

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Christian Friends of Korea is a 501(c)(3) humanitarian organization that delivers clean water filters, tuberculosis and hepatitis care, medical supplies, agricultural equipment, and solar lighting to care centers serving populations in North Korea and Mongolia, funded entirely by charitable donations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Black Mountain

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Supply Chain, Personnel, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Charitable Donations: CFK generates revenue entirely through charitable donations from individuals and organizations. Donations support humanitarian programs including TB care, hepatitis treatment, clean water, agriculture, and general operations. All donations are tax-deductible under 501(c)(3) status.
2. Project-Specific Donations: Donors can contribute to specific programs such as clean water ($25 per family), TB patient support, hepatitis treatment, greenhouse/food production, and general operations.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Christian Friends of Korea (CFK) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit humanitarian organization that delivers humanitarian aid to North Korea (DPRK) and Mongolia. It directly supports over 30 care centers — including the National Tuberculosis Reference Laboratory, 7 provincial TB and hepatitis hospitals, and nearly 18 TB and hepatitis rest homes — through programs providing medical supplies, TB and hepatitis treatment support, Sawyer Point One water filter sets, agricultural inputs (greenhouses, walking tractors), solar lighting, facility renovations, medical/lab training, and care for patients.

Product overview

Christian Friends of Korea (CFK) is a humanitarian non-profit organization offering a portfolio of interconnected programs focused on serving nearly 25 million people in North Korea through friendship and humanitarian aid. The organization operates a network of over 30 care centers including the National Tuberculosis Reference Laboratory (NRL), 7 provincial TB and hepatitis hospitals, and nearly 18 TB and hepatitis rest homes. Core programs include TB and hepatitis treatment and care, clean water provision through Sawyer Point One water filter systems, agricultural support (greenhouses, tractors, farming supplies), medical supply distribution, solar lighting, facility renovations, and medical/lab training. The HOPE for Hepatitis program provides comprehensive hepatitis B care, while the Food for Patients program supports nutrition through agricultural interventions. CFK also maintains an administrative infrastructure through its General Fund for daily operations and a Fee Coverage program for donation processing costs. All programs are coordinated through the organization's office in Black Mountain, NC, with shipments and visits to North Korea dependent on international sanctions compliance and border accessibility.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• National TB Reference Laboratory (NRL) Support Ongoing support to the National Tuberculosis Reference Laboratory, supporting TB diagnosis and treatment for patients in DPRK regions.
• TB and Hepatitis Care Centers Support Direct support to over 30 care centers including 7 provincial TB and hepatitis hospitals and nearly 18 TB and hepatitis rest homes throughout the DPRK.
• Sawyer Point One Water Filter Program Distribution of Sawyer Point One water filter bucket sets to TB care centers and to TB and hepatitis patients' households; each filter provides clean drinking water for 10 years or more.
• HOPE for Hepatitis Program Comprehensive hepatitis B care program providing treatment and support to hepatitis patients in supported provinces, including sending water filter buckets home with patients.
• Food for Patients Program Agricultural support program providing greenhouses, small walking tractors, tractor tires and spare parts, and greenhouse plastic to care centers to help grow food for patients.
• Agriculture and Transportation Support Program supporting agricultural productivity and transportation capabilities at care centers in North Korea.
• Solar Lighting Program Solar lighting solutions provided to care centers to address energy needs.
• Medicine and Nutrition Aid Medical supplies and nutritional support provided to TB and hepatitis patients at care centers.
• Renovations of Care Centers Renovation and repair support for care centers, including flood damage recovery efforts.
• Doctor and Nurse Kits Medical supply kits provided to doctors and nurses working at care centers.
• Rest and Comfort Program Program providing rest and comfort amenities to patients and care centers.
• Medical/Lab Training and Travel Training programs and travel support for medical and laboratory personnel working with CFK-supported facilities.

Quantifiable outcome

• Water filter buckets last 10+ years with minimal maintenance, providing ongoing clean water access
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core, moderate and minor.

• United Nations 1718 Sanctions CommitteecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCFK, along with three other organizations, was granted a UN 1718 sanctions committee exemption covering many critical goods needed for humanitarian programs. This exemption enables CFK to ship essential medical supplies and equipment to supported facilities in DPRK.
• ECFA (Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability)coreOthersCFK is a member of the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability, demonstrating commitment to financial transparency and accountability standards for Christian organizations.
• TECH (Technical Exchange for Christian Healthcare)coreOthersCFK is a member of Technical Exchange for Christian Healthcare, a network of Christian healthcare organizations sharing resources and best practices.
• US State DepartmentmoderateStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe US State Department planned to ease travel restrictions on humanitarian travel in 2019, facilitating CFK staff visits to DPRK programs.
• Three Partner Organizations (UN Exemption)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCFK joined with three other organizations in obtaining UN 1718 sanctions committee exemption for humanitarian shipments to DPRK.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• World Vision: Christian humanitarian organization delivering health, water, and food programs in fragile states. Matches CFK's faith-rooted mission, integrated health-and-WASH portfolio, and reliance on individual donor support.
• Partners In Health: Health-focused nonprofit supporting TB, hepatitis, and primary care delivery in resource-poor settings through long-term facility partnerships. Directly comparable chronic-disease focus and accompaniment model to CFK's TB/hepatitis programs.
• Americares: Health-focused humanitarian aid organization distributing medicines, supplies, and running disease programs globally. Comparable health-aid portfolio, donation-driven model, and facility-support orientation.
• Direct Relief: Humanitarian medical aid organization delivering pharmaceuticals, supplies, and equipment to healthcare facilities in low-resource and sanctioned settings. Closely matches CFK's facility-support model of bolstering partner hospitals and labs with material aid.
• Catholic Relief Services: US-based faith-rooted humanitarian agency operating health, agriculture, and water programs in conflict-affected countries. Comparable faith affiliation, multi-program portfolio, and institutional donor relationships.
• Samaritan's Purse: Faith-based evangelical humanitarian NGO running medical, water, and disaster-relief programs worldwide, including work in restricted-access environments. Closely comparable operating model, donor base, and faith-driven mission to CFK.

Broad incumbents

• Mercy Corps: Large humanitarian NGO with global health, food security, and water programs in fragile contexts. More diversified, secular, and broader-scale than CFK, but operates overlapping programmatic categories in similar geographies.
• International Committee of the Red Cross: Largest humanitarian organization with active presence in DPRK including TB and healthcare support. Comparable disease-focused programming in North Korea, but operates at materially larger scale and with a different funding model.
• International Rescue Committee: Large humanitarian NGO operating health, water, and livelihoods programs in crisis-affected countries. Broader portfolio and scale than CFK, but overlapping program mix in similar fragile-state contexts.
• Doctors Without Borders / MSF: Global medical humanitarian organization with established TB and hepatitis programs in restricted-access and conflict settings. Comparable health-focused programming, though at far greater scale and through direct clinical operations.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/thecfkorea
• Facebookfacebook.com/ChristianFriendsofKorea
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/christian-friends-of-korea-inc

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Christian Friends of Korea