Seoul shifts course on humanitarian aid to needy in DPRK

SEOUL: The Republic of Korea (ROK) will make a small grant of humanitarian aid to the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), ending its suspension of handouts after a series of conciliatory gestures from its peninsular rival, an official said yesterday.

The ROK will send an aid package valued at about 4.1 billion won ($3.46 million) that includes 10,000 tons of corn, 20 tons of powdered milk and an unspecified amount of medicine, a Unification Ministry official told reporters. Spokesman Chun Hae-sung stressed that yesterday's offer is purely humanitarian and that Seoul is not considering further assistance.

According to a press release issued by the ROK's Red Cross, which will prepare and distribute the relief items, the aid will be mainly targeted at "infants and children and pregnant women and other vulnerable people."