South Korea decides to offer US8$mln aid to North Korea via int'l organisations

South Korea decided Thursday to offer US$8 million of humanitarian aid to the North Korea through international organisations under the United Nations, China's Xinhua news agency reported.

The inter-Korean exchange and cooperation committee were chaired by Unification Minister Cho Myoung-gyon to approve the provision of 8 million dollars to the projects of the World Food Program (WFP) and the UN International Children's Emergency Fund (UNICEF) for infants and pregnant women in the North Korea.

Among the total, US$4.5 million would be provided for the WFP project, while the remaining US$3.5 million was allotted to the UNICEF project.

It was in line with the government's basic stance that its humanitarian aid to Pyongyang would be treated separately from political situations.

The unification ministry, however, said in a statement that the actual provision of the funds would be implemented after considering overall situations including the inter-Korean relations.

The implementation of the aid was expected to be delayed as tensions ran high on the Korean Peninsula after the North Korea's nuclear and missile provocations.

On Sept 3, Pyongyang detonated its sixth nuclear device, seen as the most powerful ever conducted by the Asian country.

It triggered a new UN Security Council resolution toughening sanctions on the North Korea.

The approval for the aid to the North Korea marked the first time since the Moon Jae-in government was inaugurated in May.

The previous government suspended humanitarian aid to its northern neighbour following the North Korea's fourth nuclear detonation in January last year. - BERNAMA