Seoul hopes to send food aid to N. Korea by September: Gov't official
- 5 years ago
통일부 "대북식량지원, 5~9월 정도로 고려"... 김연철, 여론수렴과정 돌입
South Korea says it hopes to send food aid to North Korea by September of this year.
In a bid to collect opinions from all walks of life, Seoul's unification minister began meeting with civic and religious groups.
Arirang's Unification ministry correspondent Oh Jung-hee tells us more.
September of this year.
That's the deadline by which South Korea hopes to send food aid to North Korea.
Speaking to reporters Tuesday on the condition of anonymity, a unification ministry official said the government is looking to fit its plans to a report last week from the World Food Programme and the Food and Agriculture Organization.
The report says May to September is when the North needs food aid the most, ahead of harvest season.
Seoul's food assistance could take one or more forms a direct shipment to the North, an indirect one through the WFP,... or a combination of both.
To discuss that matter plus the timing and size of the aid, Seoul's unification chief will be holding a series of meetings with representatives of the public.
On Thursday, he started by meeting with major civic and religious groups.
"Today, I'll be listening to the opinions of groups that are very involved in humanitarian work and have plenty of experience."
"The groups gathered here have worked on humanitarian assistance to the North for over 20 years. We've done negotiations and monitoring a number of times. If the government is going to give the North humanitarian asssistance, I hope you don't do it all yourselves. The government can do it through us. That will help lessen the political burden and we can carry out better monitoring."
Meanwhile, North Korea continues to release news articles on the food shortage.
On Thursday, the North's state-run newspaper Rodong Sinmun said the drought is taking a toll on crop production.
Wheat and barley, it said, are drying up, and corn is also being damaged, and it urged people to protect their crops.
Oh Jung-hee, Arirang News.
South Korea says it hopes to send food aid to North Korea by September of this year.
In a bid to collect opinions from all walks of life, Seoul's unification minister began meeting with civic and religious groups.
Arirang's Unification ministry correspondent Oh Jung-hee tells us more.
September of this year.
That's the deadline by which South Korea hopes to send food aid to North Korea.
Speaking to reporters Tuesday on the condition of anonymity, a unification ministry official said the government is looking to fit its plans to a report last week from the World Food Programme and the Food and Agriculture Organization.
The report says May to September is when the North needs food aid the most, ahead of harvest season.
Seoul's food assistance could take one or more forms a direct shipment to the North, an indirect one through the WFP,... or a combination of both.
To discuss that matter plus the timing and size of the aid, Seoul's unification chief will be holding a series of meetings with representatives of the public.
On Thursday, he started by meeting with major civic and religious groups.
"Today, I'll be listening to the opinions of groups that are very involved in humanitarian work and have plenty of experience."
"The groups gathered here have worked on humanitarian assistance to the North for over 20 years. We've done negotiations and monitoring a number of times. If the government is going to give the North humanitarian asssistance, I hope you don't do it all yourselves. The government can do it through us. That will help lessen the political burden and we can carry out better monitoring."
Meanwhile, North Korea continues to release news articles on the food shortage.
On Thursday, the North's state-run newspaper Rodong Sinmun said the drought is taking a toll on crop production.
Wheat and barley, it said, are drying up, and corn is also being damaged, and it urged people to protect their crops.
Oh Jung-hee, Arirang News.