The Congressional Research Service, a policy research arm of the U.S. Congress, said around 2.5 million tons of food worth over $700 million were delivered to the reclusive communist country in that time.

Fuel oil provisions as part of the six-party nuclear negotiations have cost Washington close to $150 million, and an international consortium to build a nuclear power generator in the reclusive regime another 400 million.

In 2007 around $20 million went to partially dismantling the North's Yongbyon nuclear facility.

This year the U.S. government plans to aid the communist country with a total of 500,000 tons of food and an additional $100 million in oil shipments.

A report indicates the U.S. has begun preparing to deliver its fifth food shipment to the North this week.

Arirang News