Results of the 124th Consultative Meeting on the Inter-Korean Economic Cooperation Promotion Committee
ROK Ministry of Unification
2004-03-31
March 29, 2004
o The government held the 124th consultative meeting on the Inter-Korean Economic Cooperation Promotion Committee in writing on March 29, and made deliberations and resolutions on three agenda: the proposal for financing fertilizer aid to North Korea out of the Inter-Korean Cooperation Fund; the proposal for financing civic groups' aid to North Korea out of the Inter-Korean Cooperation Fund; and the proposal for providing aid from the Inter-Korean Cooperation Fund via international organizations, including the World Health Organization.
< 200,000 tons of fertilizer aid>
o The government has decided to provide North Korea with 200,000 tons of fertilizer, accepting on humanitarian grounds the North's request made in the Inter-Korean ministerial meeting on Feb. 3-6 and through telephone notification between the South and the North Korean Red Cross on Feb 25.
- The types of fertilizer are 160,000 tons of compound fertilizer, 28,000 tons of urea, and 12,000 tons of ammonium sulfate. Expenditure will be 69.8 billion won, including the cost of purchasing and transporting the fertilizer.
o The Korean Red Cross will be in charge of sending the fertilizer according to the procedures of delivering relief supplies between the South and the North Korean Red Cross. The delivery is expected to take about two months, starting with the first shipment in mid-April.
< Support for civic groups' aid projects to the North>
o The government has decided to provide 9.87 billion won in assistance for 25 aid projects to North Korea, according to applications submitted by 23 civic groups.
* 3.4 billion won in 2000, 3.8 billion won in 2001, and 5.5 billion won in 2002 was provided, respectively.
o The amount of assistance will be 5.18 billion won for 9 aid projects for the needy, 2.67 billion won for 7 health and medical projects, and 2.01 billion won for 9 agricultural development projects.
- Aid funds will be divided into costs of purchase and transport of relief supplies, and cost of ensuring transparency of distribution, and will be provided in the ex-post settlement method.
< Support through international organizations>
o The government has decided to provide $700,000 worth of medicine, materials, devices and equipment for malaria prevention projects through the World Health Organization.
* $460,000 was provided in 2001, $590,000 in 2002, and $660,000 in 2003.
o The government has also decided to provide $1 million worth of iodized salt, nutritional food for children, essential medicine, vaccines and multiple supplements for pregnant women for aid projects for the needy through UNICEF.
* $500,000 was provided in 2003.
o The government expects that these various aid projects, including provision of fertilizer and health and medical service, will contribute to improving the North Koreans' situation in humanitarian terms and to promoting inter-Korean reconciliation and cooperation.
