U.S. Offers Aid to North

It has been reported that the U.S. has discussed the matter of aid, such as sending a medical team, through direct diplomatic channels in response to the recent Ryongcheon station explosion.

According to Mark Minton, Deputy Chief of Mission at the U.S. Embassy in Seoul, this offer was made at the Haeinsa tourist hotel in Hapcheon, Kyoungsang south province, over a period of two days from April 30 to May 2, and also said, “The U.S. delivered its intention of providing emergency medical supplies and equipment, as well as a medical team, to Ambassador Han Song-ryol, Deputy Permanent Representative of the DPRK Mission to the United Nations headquarters in New York.”

Minton added that “even if the New York channel is not a formal negociating window dealing with matters such as the North Korean nuclear issue, it has discussed humanitarian aid. We are now waiting the response of North Korea.”

In the U.S.-North Korean contact in New York, while the U.S. made clear its intention to send specialists for managing medical equipment, the North showed a pessimistic stance about such aid.

Minton said that a 100,000 dollar fund was being set up for North Korea on April 26 to provide living necessities to ten thousand people in Ryoungcheon.

He also hinted at additional aid through international organizations by saying, “I know that international organizations such as the WFP are going to ask worldwide for relief aid in relation with Ryongcheon accident sooner or later. The U.S. is examining its position on this.”

Hyong-gwon Pu bookum90@donga.com