ID :
23503
Thu, 10/09/2008 - 16:26
Auther :
Shortlink :
http://m.oananews.org//node/23503
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S. Korea budgets $460 million for rice, fertilizer aid to N. Korea
SEOUL, Oct. 9 (Yonhap) -- South Korea has earmarked 643 billion won (US$460 million) for a possible shipment of rice and fertilizer to North Korea next year in humanitarian aid, a related ministry said Thursday, despite chilled ties between the two sides.
Seoul had suspended the traditional aid for Pyongyang under the conservative Lee
Myung-bak administration which favors reciprocity in inter-Korean relations. But
the government said it could resume the assistance if the North accepts dialogue
to discuss the issue.
Under the Unification Ministry's budget plan for next year, the inter-Korean
economic cooperation fund, aimed at promoting cross-border human exchanges and
economic partnerships, will increase 8.6 percent to 1.5 trillion won from 1.3
trillion won this year.
The budget for humanitarian assistance accounts for 72 percent of the fund, a
sharp rise from 43 percent this year, mainly attributable to hikes in rice and
fertilizer prices, said the ministry in change of policy on North Korea.
"We plan to send 400,000 tons of rice and 300,000 tons of fertilizer to North
Korea if needed," Vice Unification Minister Hong Yang-ho told reporters.
The ministry has allocated 352 billion won to send rice and 291 billion won for
fertilizer aid, he added.
The budget for inter-Korean economic projects, however, has been halved to 300
billion won in accordance with the Lee administration's policy of linking them
with progress in efforts to denuclearize the North, economic feasibility,
financial capacity, and public opinion.
Meanwhile, the ministry has created a separate account for denuclearization costs
in the inter-Korean cooperation fund, a measure to take into effect on Friday, a
day after the second anniversary of North Korea's nuclear test.
South Korea has delivered fuel oil and energy-related materials to North Korea
under an aid-for-denuclearization deal last year in the six-way nuclear talks.
Related spending has been categorized as energy aid.
"The denuclearization account has been established to secure the budgets and
operate them separately in case of progress in the (denuclearization) process,"
the vice minister said.
Seoul had suspended the traditional aid for Pyongyang under the conservative Lee
Myung-bak administration which favors reciprocity in inter-Korean relations. But
the government said it could resume the assistance if the North accepts dialogue
to discuss the issue.
Under the Unification Ministry's budget plan for next year, the inter-Korean
economic cooperation fund, aimed at promoting cross-border human exchanges and
economic partnerships, will increase 8.6 percent to 1.5 trillion won from 1.3
trillion won this year.
The budget for humanitarian assistance accounts for 72 percent of the fund, a
sharp rise from 43 percent this year, mainly attributable to hikes in rice and
fertilizer prices, said the ministry in change of policy on North Korea.
"We plan to send 400,000 tons of rice and 300,000 tons of fertilizer to North
Korea if needed," Vice Unification Minister Hong Yang-ho told reporters.
The ministry has allocated 352 billion won to send rice and 291 billion won for
fertilizer aid, he added.
The budget for inter-Korean economic projects, however, has been halved to 300
billion won in accordance with the Lee administration's policy of linking them
with progress in efforts to denuclearize the North, economic feasibility,
financial capacity, and public opinion.
Meanwhile, the ministry has created a separate account for denuclearization costs
in the inter-Korean cooperation fund, a measure to take into effect on Friday, a
day after the second anniversary of North Korea's nuclear test.
South Korea has delivered fuel oil and energy-related materials to North Korea
under an aid-for-denuclearization deal last year in the six-way nuclear talks.
Related spending has been categorized as energy aid.
"The denuclearization account has been established to secure the budgets and
operate them separately in case of progress in the (denuclearization) process,"
the vice minister said.
