North Korea

South Korea groups urge food aid resumption to the north

Article published on the 2008-06-03 Latest update 2008-06-03 09:25 TU

South Korean President Lee Myung-bak says he will only deliver aid to South Korea if they ask for it.
(Photo : Reuters)

Religious groups in South Korea are urging their government to resume emergency food aid to North Koreans. The appeal came as inter-Korean relations have been strained since conservative President Lee Myung Bak took office three months ago. His administration said South Korea would provide aid only when the North requests it. Despite food shortages, North Korea has so far not asked for new supplies this year from Seoul, one its largest donors.

The communist country has been dependent on food aid for years, and hundreds of thousands of people are threatened with starvation. Severe flooding last year devastated swathes of agricultural land.

"Time is running out for us to save the starving North Koreans," the leaders of dozens of civic groups said in a statement at a press meeting. "We should immediately reach out a loving hand."

One of the reasons for worsening relations between Seoul and Pyongyang was President Lee Myung Bak's insistence that South Korea would only provide economic assistance to its neighbour if it made progress toward its promise to dismantle its nuclear programmes.

Since the end of March, North Korea has expelled South Korean officials staying in the North for commercial and political purposes, freezing most inter-Korean projects.

North Korea also raised tensions by firing three short-term missiles off its west coast at the weekend.