Unification Minister: Government to Provide Large Scale Energy Aid to North Korea

The Washington Post reported on July 9 that the South Korean Minister of Unification, Chung Dong-young, told the North Korean leader, Kim Jong Il, at a recent meeting on June 17 that the South Korean government is willing to provide funds to North Korea as part of its large-scale comprehensive energy aid plan.

Chung expressed his government’s intention in response to Kim’s announcement that North Korea would return to the six party talks in July, a U.S. government high-ranking official who had been briefed on the inter-Korean meeting was quoted as saying.

Chung reportedly made clear that the government’s planned energy aid to North Korea doesn’t include nuclear power. The paper added that the U.S. government was satisfied with the South Korean policy.

Soon-Taek Kwon maypole@donga.com