Relief food sent to NK

A private citizens group sent aid to North Korea, Friday, marking the first cross-border food shipment of flour following the latest flood damage in the North. It also comes after Pyongyang’s refusal to accept Seoul’s offer for the provision of instant noodles and medicine last week.

World Vision, a Christian charity group, said it delivered 500 tons of flour to the North via land. Twenty 25-ton trucks laden with flour bags left for the North at around 10:00 a.m. through the border transit center in Paju, according to the international organization’s Korea division.

The flour will likely be distributed to kindergartens and elementary schools in the most heavily affected cities of Anju and Gaecheon.

“We should not forget that offering food to impoverished children is the most important and honorable mission,” said Korea World Vision Chairman Yang Ho-seung over the delivery, Friday. “We plan to monitor how it is distributed in North Korea in line with agreements we made.”

The poverty-stricken country reportedly lost hundreds of lives in the recent floods and experienced significant damage to its agricultural sector.

World Vision delayed its previous aid plan set for Sept. 18 due to a typhoon warning to avoid possible transportation problems. The food assistance was arranged last month when World Vision officials traveled to Gaeseong to discuss aid plans with the North.

Government officials say the North’s acceptance of the private-sector assistance indicates a worsening food situation and may signal a thaw in relations with the South.

The North has refused to communicate with the South since President Lee Myung-bak took office in 2008 and implemented a hard-line policy toward the North. <The Korea Times/Chung Min-uck>

news@theasian.asia