(Agencies)
Updated: 2008-05-26 15:17

SEOUL, South Korea -- A South Korean official says Seoul will send 1,000 tons of copper to North Korea as part of an economic aid deal with Pyongyang in return for disabling its nuclear reactor.

Unification Ministry spokesman Kim Ho-nyeon said Monday the copper will be shipped later this week.

A nuclear standoff began in late 2002 when the US accused the North of seeking to secretly enrich uranium in violation of a 1994 disarmament deal. The North began negotiations in 2003 over its nuclear program with the US, China, Japan, Russia and South Korea.

The North was also promised aid equivalent of 1 million tons of heavy fuel oil.

The six-party talks were last held between late September and early October 2007.