Seoul mulls fertilizer aid to N. Korea in 8 years

The South Korean government plans to increase its aid to North Korea this year. Sources said Friday that Seoul plans to approve civic groups` fertilizer aid to the North when the conditions mature and is considering the timing. Attention is being drawn to whether fertilizer assistance to the North will be resumed for the first time in eight years.

A Seoul official said that the South Korean government provided 3 billion won (2.7 billion U.S. dollars) for 13 civic groups in the public health, agricultural and livestock fields to assist their aid to the North and will increase the Inter-Korean Cooperation Fund this year.

Another official noted that Seoul is considering the timing for approving civic groups` plans to provide small amounts of fertilizers for the North. The remark suggests that the South Korean government is willing to approve the aid plans provided the North accepts the offers and ensures distribution transparency. Seoul said that two civic groups requested government approval of small amounts of fertilizer aid.

The non-government organizations are reportedly seeking to provide several hundred tons of fertilizer. As Seoul and the civic groups say that the fertilizer should be delivered in spring when farming starts, the timing will likely be sometime in March.