Asia-Pacific

DPRK asks Seoul for rice in flood aid

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2010-09-07 10:49

SEOUL -- The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) has asked the Republic of Korea (ROK) for rice and other "necessary equipment" to repair flood damage, the government here said Tuesday.

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The request was made in a reply to an offer last week by ROK's Red Cross to give the DPRK emergency relief aid worth 10 billion won (US$8.4 million). Seoul is considering the request, the Unification Ministry said in a statement.

Seoul suspended virtually exchanges with Pyongyang in May, after the international probe concluded that the sinking of a ROK warship was masterminded by the DPRK, a charge it denies.

Seoul also stopped government-level aid to Pyongyang, and recent local news reports of Seoul considering resuming rice aid to Pyongyang have been repeatedly dismissed.

In apparent peace overtures, the DPRK on Monday offered to release crew members of a ROK fishing boat held there for trespassing into its waters. Potential flood aid to Pyongyang might further warm up the frosty inter-Korean ties, local media said.