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Unification Minister Lee Jae-joung on Monday said the government will provide unconditional aid to North Korea ¡°on a humanitarian basis.¡± In an interview with the Yonhap news agency, Lee hinted at the huge cost of the aid, saying the government will seek agreement from the National Assembly ¡°so that we can come up with a framework for offering systematic aid¡± to the North. The minister also called for ¡°regular¡± inter-Korean summits, adding the two Koreas may consider dispatching special envoys if there is a need for further close contact. "Special envoys have a role to play not only to hold summit talks in the future but also to address inter-Korean relations as a whole after North Korea conducted a nuclear test,¡± he said.
Pundits say this means the government will provide free aid to North Korea without taking into account Pyongyang's missile tests and nuclear test to make sure a second inter-Korean summit happens this year. Lee said in the interview, "I hope that we can come up with a framework to offer systematic humanitarian aid (to the North) so we can continue to do it whatever political situation we face." He singled out food for infants and children, support for North Korea¡¯s healthcare system, food for the destitute, and disaster relief. "It depends on the North whether we continue to offer rice entirely in the form of a loan, or turn part or all of it into humanitarian aid. The two Koreas need to reach agreement on that matter.¡± He said fertilizer aid, suspended together with rice after the North¡¯s missile test, should resume. "As for when to resume it, I¡¯ll be able to tell you by considering how things work down the road.¡±
He indicated the government will soften on the three conditions it set earlier for resuming humanitarian aid -- progress in the six-party talks on North Korea's nuclear program, resumption of inter-Korean talks and public consensus in the South. "If one of them doesn't work out, at least we should get there in a roundabout way,¡± he said. Asked about signs that Pyongyang is ready to conduct a second nuclear test, Lee said, "North Korea won't do it because it is well aware that a second nuclear test will further strengthen sanctions."
(englishnews@chosun.com )
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