SEOUL — North Korea has yet to respond to South Korea's offer to provide humanitarian aid following severe flooding in the North's border areas, according to statements from Seoul's unification ministry on Friday.
According to Yonhap News Agency, South Korea proposed urgent support for North Korean flood victims through the Korean Red Cross, from a humanitarian and fraternal perspective. This offer was communicated via the inter-Korean liaison office, although no reply has been received from North Korea so far. Kim expressed hope for a prompt response, noting that daily contact attempts are made at 9 a.m. and 5 p.m.
Recent heavy rains have reportedly caused extensive damage in North Korea's border city of Sinuiju and Uiju County in North Pyongan province, with state media reporting over 4,100 houses and nearly 3,000 hectares of farmland submerged. While the North has not provided casualty details, the South Korean unification ministry believes the toll could be significant, with estimates suggesting upwards of 1,000 dead or missing.
The South Korean government has resorted to using the press to convey its aid intentions due to North Korea's non-responsiveness to official communication channels since last April. In an interview with Yonhap News TV, Vice Unification Minister Kim Soo-kyung voiced hope that extending humanitarian aid might ease tensions on the Korean Peninsula.
"We ask the North Korean authorities to respond to our sincere proposal amid the humanitarian crisis in North Korea," Vice Minister Kim stated, emphasizing that the Yoon Suk Yeol government remains committed to providing humanitarian assistance to North Korea irrespective of the political climate.