South Korea may give aid to North via UN agency

Seoul: South Korea is considering giving food aid to North Korea through a UN agency, after Seoul halted direct shipments of rice because of political tensions with its neighbour, a government official said on Thursday.

A Unification Ministry spokesman said the UN World Food Programme has asked South Korea to contribute $60 million (Dh220 million) to the WFP's plan to feed more than 6 million of the neediest people in North Korea, which has a population of 23 million.

"Our stance has always been [that if there is a dire need], humanitarian assistance can be given unconditionally, regardless of political issues," said spokesman Kim Ho-nyeon.

The WFP last month said parts of North Korea were experiencing their worst food shortages in nearly a decade.

Kim said South Korea, which has contributed to aid programmes for North Korea before under previous presidents, has yet to make a decision on the WFP request. The $60 million could buy about 75,000 tonnes of rice or 150,000 tonnes or corn.

South Korea has typically given about 400,000 tonnes of rice a year directly to North Korea, which battles chronic shortages, but ties chilled between the states after a new South Korean president took office in February with pledges to get tough on Pyongyang.

Paul Risley, a WFP spokesman, confirmed the agency had asked South Korea to contribute to its aid programme, which has greatly expanded this year.

"We provided the Republic of Korea [South Korea] with broad information of the overall costs of the entire operation and suggested the importance of making a very substantial contribution," Risley said by telephone from Bangkok.

President Lee Myung-bak has tried to end what had largely been the unconditional flow of aid to North Korea under his predecessors.