The government on Monday offered North Korea aid of 10,000 tons of corn. If North Korea accepts, it will be the first food assistance to the North since the Lee Myung-bak administration's inauguration.

South Korea Red Cross President Yoo Chong-ha sent a fax to his North Korean counterpart Jang Jae-on that offered 10,000 tons of corn, 20 tons of powdered milk and medical supplies for frail and vulnerable people such as infants, young children, and pregnant women. The offer comes in reply to a request for a humanitarian aid at inter-Korean Red Cross talks on Oct. 16.

The aid will be handled by the Red Cross, but the money -- about W4 billion (US$1=W1,179) -- for purchase and delivery of the 10,000 tons of corn will come from the Inter-Korean Cooperation Fund. Only the powdered milk worth W150 million and medical supplies will be procured by the Red Cross on its own, the government said.

Unification Ministry spokesman Chun Hae-sung said the 10,000 tons "are probably not enough" considering the current food shortage in North Korea, "but the North did not specify size or items" when it asked for humanitarian assistance.

The government will buy the corn in China and send it directly to the North. It will probably take 30 to 40 days to reach recipients in North Korea.

Pyongyang is expected to accept, although it turned down Seoul's offer of 50,000 tons of corn in May last year.

A well-informed source said, "Last year, inter-Korean relations were getting worse, but now there have been reports that two Koreas have held secret meetings to prepare for a summit. The amount of aid doesn't matter. It's a start."