SEOUL — South Korea proposed providing humanitarian aid to North Korea on Thursday in response to damage from recent downpours in its northern border areas along the Amnok River, where the North is believed to have sustained significant casualties.

According to Yonhap News Agency, South Korea is willing to urgently support North Korean flood victims with necessary supplies from a humanitarian and fraternal perspective through the Korean Red Cross. "We are ready to discuss the items, scale, and method of support with the North Korean counterpart. We expect North Korea's swift response," said Park Jong-sul, secretary general of the Korean Red Cross, expressing "deep sympathy" for the victims.

North Korea's border city of Sinuiju and Uiju County in the northwestern province of North Pyongan were heavily affected by the rains, with more than 4,100 houses and nearly 3,000 hectares of farmland submerged, according to the North's state media. While the North did not disclose details about casualties, the unification ministry indicated that North Korea may have sustained "considerable" casualties, with reports suggesting that the number of deaths or missing persons could exceed around 1,000.

The aid proposal comes despite heightened tensions on the Korean Peninsula due to North Korea's continued provocative acts and increased animosity toward South Korea. The government has emphasized its readiness to provide humanitarian assistance to North Korea regardless of the political and security situation on the peninsula. However, it remains uncertain whether North Korea will accept the aid proposal.

The unification ministry noted that this is the first proposal for flood damage relief to the North since 2012, when North Korea rejected the offer. "(If Pyongyang accepts the offer) we will discuss the items and scale of support with the North. The supplies of food and medicine for the displaced will be prioritized," said a ministry official on the condition of anonymity.

This offer marks the second proposal on humanitarian aid under the Yoon Suk Yeol administration. The ministry proposed working-level contact with North Korea in May 2022 over COVID-19 quarantine supplies. The government is prepared to discuss details through various methods, including face-to-face meetings or coordination through a third country. The intent for aid was communicated via the press, as North Korea has been unresponsive to the inter-Korean liaison communication channel since April last year.

North Korea is vulnerable to natural disasters due to its lack of infrastructure, with heavy rains particularly displacing thousands in the impoverished country. North Korean leader Kim Jong-un visited the flood-hit areas of Sinuiju and Uiju County on Sunday to guide rescue operations for around 5,000 isolated residents. Earlier this week, the country held an emergency politburo meeting of the ruling Workers' Party of Korea to discuss coping strategies for the flood damage.

SEOUL — South Korea proposed providing humanitarian aid to North Korea on Thursday in response to damage from recent downpours in its northern border areas along the Amnok River, where the North is believed to have sustained significant casualties.

According to Yonhap News Agency, South Korea is willing to urgently support North Korean flood victims with necessary supplies from a humanitarian and fraternal perspective through the Korean Red Cross. "We are ready to discuss the items, scale, and method of support with the North Korean counterpart. We expect North Korea's swift response," said Park Jong-sul, secretary general of the Korean Red Cross, expressing "deep sympathy" for the victims.

North Korea's border city of Sinuiju and Uiju County in the northwestern province of North Pyongan were heavily affected by the rains, with more than 4,100 houses and nearly 3,000 hectares of farmland submerged, according to the North's state media. While the North did not disclose details about casualties, the unification ministry indicated that North Korea may have sustained "considerable" casualties, with reports suggesting that the number of deaths or missing persons could exceed around 1,000.

The aid proposal comes despite heightened tensions on the Korean Peninsula due to North Korea's continued provocative acts and increased animosity toward South Korea. The government has emphasized its readiness to provide humanitarian assistance to North Korea regardless of the political and security situation on the peninsula. However, it remains uncertain whether North Korea will accept the aid proposal.

The unification ministry noted that this is the first proposal for flood damage relief to the North since 2012, when North Korea rejected the offer. "(If Pyongyang accepts the offer) we will discuss the items and scale of support with the North. The supplies of food and medicine for the displaced will be prioritized," said a ministry official on the condition of anonymity.

This offer marks the second proposal on humanitarian aid under the Yoon Suk Yeol administration. The ministry proposed working-level contact with North Korea in May 2022 over COVID-19 quarantine supplies. The government is prepared to discuss details through various methods, including face-to-face meetings or coordination through a third country. The intent for aid was communicated via the press, as North Korea has been unresponsive to the inter-Korean liaison communication channel since April last year.

North Korea is vulnerable to natural disasters due to its lack of infrastructure, with heavy rains particularly displacing thousands in the impoverished country. North Korean leader Kim Jong-un visited the flood-hit areas of Sinuiju and Uiju County on Sunday to guide rescue operations for around 5,000 isolated residents. Earlier this week, the country held an emergency politburo meeting of the ruling Workers' Party of Korea to discuss coping strategies for the flood damage.