North Korea's Red Cross has rejected an offer from its South
Korean counterpart for aid to flood victims, a South Korean Red
Cross official said today.
North Korea "expressed thanks for Seoul's offer" but said "it
will handle the recovery efforts from recent floods by itself," a
senior North Korean Red Cross official said, according to the South
Korean Red Cross.
The two Koreas exchanged messages through the Pyongyang office
of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent
Societies last week, the South Korean official said, asking not to
be identified citing policy.
Floods caused by heavy rains in mid-July killed at least 154
North Koreans and left another 127 or more missing, according to
the UN. North Korea's official media has said the disaster caused
hundreds of casualties as well as cutting off roads, bridges,
railroads and communications.
South Korean Red Cross chief Han Wan-sang had expressed its
intention to provide relief aid to the impoverished communist
neighbor once the North makes a request.
Despite the rejection, the Red Cross official said South Korea
would eventually provide humanitarian assistance to the North even
if there were no request.
Separately, JTS Korea, a Seoul-based private relief agency, said
yesterday it would ship emergency goods to the North including 200
tons of flour, 38,000 packs of instant noodles and 15,000 pieces of
clothing, socks and candles, as well as medicines and blankets.
It will be the first South Korean shipment of relief goods to
North Korea since the floods, said agency spokeswoman Hun Hee-ryun.
The first shipment is scheduled to depart tomorrow.
South Korea, a key provider of rice and fertilizer aid to the
North, recently suspended that aid to protest Pyongyang's refusal
to discuss its missile launches in early July that drew
international condemnation and raised regional tension.
(Chinadaily.com.cn via agencies August 2, 2006)
