S Korea sets aside over $1 bln budget for inter-Korean cooperation in 2010
S Korea sets aside over $1 bln budget for inter-Korean cooperation in 2010
19:27, November 13, 2009 
Email | Print | Subscribe | Comments | Forum 
South Korea's Unification Ministry on Friday submitted a 1.18-trillion-won (about 1.02 billion U.S. dollars) worth 2010 inter-Korean cooperation budget plan to the National Assembly, which is designed to provide humanitarian aid to the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) and promote inter-Korean cooperation programs.
Under the plan, the South Korean government will earmark 616 billion won for the possible resumption of rice and fertilizer aid to the DPRK, which remains at a previous level that the South Korean side could provide 400,000 tons of rice and 300,000 tons of fertilizer to Pyongyang.
South Korea has provided rice and fertilizers to the DPRK under a "Sunshine Policy" adopted during terms of former Presidents Kim Dae-jung and Roh Moo-hyun. But the current conservative government led by Lee Myung-bak halted the aid as it came to power in February 2008.
The government has repeatedly said it is not considering any immediate massive food or fertilizer assistance to the DPRK at this moment.
The ministry also allocated 18 billion won and 25 billion won to fund private organizations and international agencies to support their aid projects for the DPRK.
The plan also included 144.8 billion won of inter-Korean economic cooperation budget, up 17.1 percent from the previous year. The fund will mainly used for the improvement of the infrastructure at joint Kaesong industrial park, river flood prevention and personnel exchanges.
The ministry said massive economic cooperation projects were considered in preparation for the possibility of progress in the DPRK's nuclear issue.
The government also increased its budget on exchanges of inter-Korean social and cultural fields and separated families.
Source: Xinhua
Under the plan, the South Korean government will earmark 616 billion won for the possible resumption of rice and fertilizer aid to the DPRK, which remains at a previous level that the South Korean side could provide 400,000 tons of rice and 300,000 tons of fertilizer to Pyongyang.
South Korea has provided rice and fertilizers to the DPRK under a "Sunshine Policy" adopted during terms of former Presidents Kim Dae-jung and Roh Moo-hyun. But the current conservative government led by Lee Myung-bak halted the aid as it came to power in February 2008.
The government has repeatedly said it is not considering any immediate massive food or fertilizer assistance to the DPRK at this moment.
The ministry also allocated 18 billion won and 25 billion won to fund private organizations and international agencies to support their aid projects for the DPRK.
The plan also included 144.8 billion won of inter-Korean economic cooperation budget, up 17.1 percent from the previous year. The fund will mainly used for the improvement of the infrastructure at joint Kaesong industrial park, river flood prevention and personnel exchanges.
The ministry said massive economic cooperation projects were considered in preparation for the possibility of progress in the DPRK's nuclear issue.
The government also increased its budget on exchanges of inter-Korean social and cultural fields and separated families.
Source: Xinhua
Related Reading
Special Coverage
President Hu visits Malaysia, Singapore, attends APEC summit
Major headlines
Editor's Pick
Most Popular
Hot Forum Dicussion
