The South Korea government today announced the resumption of humanitarian assistance to North Korea through the World Health Organization (WHO).
In practice this means the release of $6.94 million in funding previously put on ice following the sinking of the Cheonan on March 26th, 2010, part of a total of $13.2 million donated by South Korea to the WHO in 2009.
Today, the Ministry of Unification sent a letter approving the use of the money to the WHO. The funds are expected to be used to purchase highly nutritious foodstuffs, basic pharmaceuticals and medical equipment and facilities.
Speaking today, a Ministry of Unification official put the move firmly within the existing narrative, saying, “Following the May 24th Measures, our policy was to maintain purely humanitarian aid for North Korea’s young and vulnerable classes. We made today’s decision after consideration of both this policy and the WHO request.”
The official added, “Minister of Unification Ryu Woo Ik made the comment that ‘South Korea will actively review humanitarian assistance to North Korea through international organizations’ during his meeting with U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki Moon in the U.S.; this decision to give aid through the WHO can be seen as the first part of that.”
The specifics of the aid delivery will be determined via consultation between the South Korean government and WHO. However, monitoring is the sole responsibility of the WHO.
Following this decision, it also seems likely that the South Korean government will agree to play a role in further international aid programs, although it denies that there are any plans to work through the World Food Programme (WFP) at this stage.
