S. Korea willing to support N. Korea during record drought

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

By Brian Han

North Korea recently expressed through its Korean Central News Agency that it is in the midst of its worst drought in over 100 years and South Korea is willing to offer help under one simple condition — just ask.

Foreign Minister and authority on inter-Korean ties Hong Yong-pyo spoke on behalf of South Korea saying that they will be monitoring the drought situation in the North and will offer aid if it is requested according to Yonhap News Agency.

North Korea’s dramatic announcement regarding the drought was seen by many countries as a means of asking for help without actually requesting it outright. So far there has been a mixed response.

The U.S. recently stated that they had looked into the claims and had no plans to provide any assistance based on the information they had gathered.

It has offered food aid to North Korea in the past as recent as 2012 in return for halting both the country’s nuclear weapons program and missile development.

North Korea violated the agreement and the offer was withdrawn.

Tensions have been especially high between the two countries due to the North’s ongoing claims of nuclear weapons development as well as human rights abuses.

China on the other hand said that it does plan to provide aid in the form of food as one of the North’s few allies.

The most recent reports from the United Nations claims that about 70 percent of North Korea’s 24.6 million people are significantly affected by the food shortages.

Although Hong did not outline the exact form of help the South would be willing to provide, he hopes that the actions could spark a discussion between the two countries to ease growing tensions.

“At a time when the two Koreas are coping with drought, I think that this situation can be a chance to promote cooperation,” Hong told reporters during a briefing. “If North Korea faces tougher situations, South Korea is willing to provide the necessary support to North Korea.”

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26 Comments

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2. nice guy

   June 24, 2015 at 5:11 PM

   Too bad that you cannot be the bigger people and show your neighbors that even though your political relations are really bad, you still love them, you still want peace and prosperity for all Koreans. Too bad the food is attached to an ultimatum,,, they are you, you are them. Open your eyes, if you possess the ability to help, you’re obligated to help. Altruism, become more than yourself.

   Reply
   • That guy

     June 24, 2015 at 5:55 PM

     Yes it may be an ultimatum, but it’s also a step in the right direction for both North and South Korea. South Korea could just hand over the support but that doesn’t mean that won’t properly row relations between the two countries if North Korea doesn’t acknowledge the help from South Korea.

     If South Korea tried to be the “bigger people” as you put it, then already their political relations are in bad taste, because in the minds of public that would put South Korea above the north. That’s not peace for Koreans. North Korea needs to put aside it’s God complex and accept that it needs help, or Korea will never be peacefully united. With the way tensions are between countries, South Korea would be at an extreme disadvantage if they gained nothing by helping North Korea, which would happen if not for the condition.
   • Huh..

     June 24, 2015 at 7:09 PM

     Very simple plan, easy to say sitting in our comfy chairs.

     Being altruistic to your fellow human is easier to do on a personal level; doing it on this international level takes a little bit more than that. Think about the recent shellings from NK to an SK island which killed a couple of SK civvies. The sinking of the SK warship by NK, killing dozens of South Korean soldiers. There are massive tensions and I think it’s an amazing gesture for South Korea to offer assistance. The need for NK to request this assistance is not only for North Korea to “get back on level”, but it shows the world if they care enough about their own citizens or not to put themselves back down to earth.
   • Dalcon

     June 24, 2015 at 7:36 PM

     What ultimatum are you talking about? Requiring a formal request is an ultimatum? Laying down your arms and slaughtering your own leadership is an ultimatum, a request is just a request.
   • Which guy

     June 24, 2015 at 9:28 PM

     South Koreans are already the bigger guys, just from a physical standpoint.
   • bad guy

     June 24, 2015 at 9:57 PM

     You’re a moron nice guy

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4. Nice guy is a faggot

   June 24, 2015 at 5:51 PM

   You’re a faggot, nice guy. Shut your stupid useless hippy mouth.

   Reply
   • Mike Ashton

     June 24, 2015 at 6:30 PM

     What are you but a flaming Republican’t Ostrich with its head buried in the sand and an American flag flying out your butt! And yes I am a VETERAN asswipe!
   • Dalcon

     June 24, 2015 at 7:46 PM

     You my friend are an odd duck. NG sounds like he may have had some head trauma but you sound full on psychotic.
5. Absolute

   June 24, 2015 at 6:03 PM

   nice guy, not so nice are you? this is a battle between two arch enemies, to see who will be… THE BEST KOREA.

   Reply
6. Waygook

   June 24, 2015 at 6:04 PM

   Nice guy the title of this article has been as an ultimatum but in the second paragraph you can see it was not an ultimatum but an offer if they feel they need it. “Hong Yong-pyo spoke on behalf of South Korea saying that they will be monitoring the drought situation in the North and will offer aid if it is requested.”

   Reply
7. "Nice guy is a faggot" is a clownshoe

   June 24, 2015 at 6:04 PM

   Just saying.

   Reply
8. ""Nice guy is a faggot" is a clownshoe" is a twatbubble

   June 24, 2015 at 6:15 PM

   Saying what you meta splooge.

   Reply
9. """Nice guy is a faggot" is a clownshoe" is a twatbubble" is continuing the trend

   June 24, 2015 at 6:45 PM

   You know you’re just a part of this circle jerk now

   Reply
10. Adam

    June 24, 2015 at 7:05 PM

    There is no reason to continue supplying food to a people too dogmatised to open their eyes and to subordinate to stand up for their own rights. As it stands they are basically accepting starvation so their “great leader” can continue making up bullshit about hiatorical pride.

    A more reasonable solution would be assassination of the great leader, then give people food after dismantling their military through atrition. Cruel, but the rest of the world is tired of giving north korea aid when the govn. just uses it as a buffer to extort more aid. Reliance is not independence.

    Reply

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12. Tony Lewis

    June 24, 2015 at 8:13 PM

    North Korea finally realizes that they need the support & love of the rest of the world. Bargain with them from strength & get inforcable commitments. Otherwise it’s more young American lives that will be lost in the future.

    Reply
13. won-ho

    June 24, 2015 at 10:30 PM

    The regime that leads its people starved to death like Stalin’s stands only for maintaining political power. Having stop enjoying shark-spin dish with expensive fine French wine on dinner table for the ruler, then he can at least save ten of his dying people. He has to accept the offer np matter what…

    Reply
14. Kiwi

    June 24, 2015 at 11:19 PM

    The sad truth is nk will never ask for help. They will let millions die yet again

    Reply
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      June 25, 2015 at 2:58 AM

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