The South Korean government decided to send $5.65 million through the United Nations Children's Fund also known as UNICEF to aid children in North Korea. South Koreans helped the vulnerable North before in 2009 when inter-Korean relations became strained and donated more than $20.9 million since then, but they are sending food supplies and medical care once again to vaccinate infants, children, and pregnant women. More than 1.46 million people in North Korea are expected to benefit from this fund, and food supply including nutritional supplements will help 270-thousand North Korean to stay healthy.
Because North Korea significantly lack on the medical care for children, the South Korean government also decided to grant 2.66 billion won from the South-North Cooperation Fund to build a emergency medical facility inside the inter-Korean Gaeseong Industrial Complex in the North that was previously agreed-upon.
The South Korean government and the Unification Minister Yu Woo-ik are working hard to improve their relation with the North Korea. Former Unification Ministersrather rather took a hard-line approach toward North Korea, but the new minister decided to offer money and medicine to North Koreans as a means to improve inter-Korean ties. Minister Yu visited U.S. last month, and he told Ban Kimoon, UN secretary-General, that the South Korean government will consider providing humanitarian support to North Korea through UN agencies, and recently, the government approved the resumption of South Korean aid to North Korea through the World Health Organization.
Source:
Kim, In-Kyoung. "S. Korea to Provide $5.6Mln to Aid NK Children." KBS World Radio News (5 Dec. 2011). KBS World. Web. <http://world.kbs.co.kr/english/news/news_IK_detail.htm?lang=e&id=IK&No=86496¤t_page=>.
