Posted October. 15, 2001 08:57,
It was reported yesterday that the North requested for 70,000 tons of rice at various meetings including the South-North ministerial talk.
A foreign press in Seoul reported that ``the North requested for more than 30,000 tons of rice at the fifth ministerial talk last month since the North knew that the South was willing to aid more than 30,000 tons of rice. However, the South looked as if it would aid 40,000 tons (including 30,000 tons of rice), and this led the North to postpone the family exchange program.``
``Especially, since it was reported that the South would send the government-stock rice, the North was concerned if the South intended to send the old `stock-rice`, and was reportedly to have indirectly informed its concern to the South.`` the foreign press added.
In relation to this, the government refused to confirm the amount of rice requested by the North yesterday.
Meanwhile, the government plans to discuss the issues such as rice aid following the North`s postponement of the family exchange program at the meeting with the Millennium Democratic Party today, and to discuss the issue of resuming the various South-North government talks scheduled in October by holding the standing committee meeting of the National Security Council as early as Tuesday.
A government official said yesterday that ``the issue of food aid to the North should be discussed at the second economy cooperation committee meeting scheduled on 23rd. Since this meeting is scheduled to be held in Seoul, if the North insists on the talk at Mt. Kuemgang, the issue of rice aid and the resumption of the talks cannot but be discussed in connection.``