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S. Korea not considering massive food aid to N. Korea

April 28, 2015
South Korean trucks loaded with sacks of flour for North Koreans left for the North Korean city of Kaesong on Friday. (Yonhap)

South Korean trucks loaded with sacks of flour for North Koreans left for the North Korean city of Kaesong in January of 2012. (Yonhap)

SEOUL, April 28 (Yonhap) — South Korea said Tuesday it is not considering approving massive food aid to North Korea, although it is “desirable” to prop up the quality of civilian groups’ aid to the North.

The Ministry of Unification said that Seoul is not expected to allow civilian organizations to provide large amounts of food aid to North Korea such as rice or flour for the time being, compared with its recent approval for fertilizer aid.

“But the Seoul government believes that it is desirable to boost humanitarian assistance to North Korea in terms of quality,” said an official at the ministry. “If there is such a request, the government could take into account various factors such as beneficiaries and transparency in distribution.”

His remarks came one day after Seoul approved a local civilian group’s plan to send fertilizer to North Korea, the first of its kind in five years.

Ace Gyeongam, the foundation run by bed maker Ace, crossed the inter-Korean border earlier in the day to deliver 15 tons of fertilizer and other materials for a greenhouse project in the North.

It marked the first time that the South has approved a private group’s bid to send fertilizer to North Korea since it imposed sanctions on the North over a deadly warship sinking in 2010.

Inter-Korean exchanges have been suspended since 2010 when Seoul imposed the May 24 Measure that bans economic and cultural exchanges with North Korea as a punishment for the North’s torpedoing of the South Korean warship Cheonan in March 2010.

The official said Seoul has given a nod to seven civilian groups’ plan to send assistance to the North in the areas of health care and medicine.

“We are reviewing a request by a private group to provide nourishing food to the North and approval is expected to come soon,” he said without elaborating.