5,000 Tons of Rice Bound for N.Korea

South Korea will ship 5,000 tons of rice, 10,000 tons of cement and 3 million instant-noodle packs to flood victims in North Korea's Sinuiju , the Red Cross said Monday.

Though provided in the name of the Red Cross, the emergency flood relief, worth some W10 billion (US$1=W1,160) actually comes from the Inter-Korean Cooperation Fund managed by the Unification Ministry. The government rice aid is the first of its kind since the inauguration of the Lee Myung-bak administration in 2008.

"The aid is being given for humanitarian reasons," said a Unification Ministry official but will not affect a May 24 ban of aid to the North in response to the sinking of the Navy corvette Cheonan. That is why the government denied a request from North Korea for heavy equipment, which could be used for military purposes, the official added.

Meanwhile, North Korea on Monday accepted a proposal by South Korea to meet in Kaesong this Friday to discuss fresh reunions of families separated by the Korean War. The North proposed the resumption of family reunions last week.