Seoul's aid sets sail for N. Korea

Jon · Korean Citizen Joined: Mar 19, 2004 Posts: 524

Seoul's aid sets sail for N. Korea

After much ado, South Korea's first shipment of relief aid for thousands of victims of last week's deadly explosion in the North Korean city Ryongcheon finally set sail yesterday.

The cargo vessel Hankwang left Incheon port at around noon, heading north to the communist country's western port Nampo.

The delivery ship, provided by South Korea's flagship transporter Hanjin, set off on the 20-hour voyage carrying 31 containers full of relief supplies provided by Seoul and the Red Cross worth $1 million.

The cargo vessel is running on the West Sea escorted by the National Maritime Police and was set to arrive at Nampo Port around 10:00 a.m. today. From there, the supplies will be transported by land to Ryongcheon, about 250 km north.

Hanjin, the country's leading shipper, stepped in to help out late Tuesday, when a North Korean ship slated to pick up the aid supplies was not able to head down south, delaying the delivery process.

The Hankwang was carrying cargo between Incheon and Busan port in the nation's southeast before it was assigned the emergency run to North Korea.

On board, were five officials of the South Korean Unification Ministry, and 10 crew members.

The company's officials said they were fully geared to ship relief materials by sea and air to victims of the disastrous train explosion April 22, Yonhap news agency said.

A civic organization to help victims of Ryongcheon held a ceremony at Incheon Port yesterday to send aid supplies worth about $8 million. That relief aid shipment, including medicine and essentials, was sent on a Chinese carrier to Dandong, China, bordering North Korea and only 50 kilometers from Ryongcheon.

The Chinese vessel left at 6:00 p.m and was due in Dandong around 10:00 a.m. today, tol unload the supplies for handover to North Korean officials.

In Seoul yesterday, the government and the majority Uri Party held a meeting on aid to North Korea following the Ryongcheon disaster.

Ways of finding other channels to help the North were discussed in view of the Stalinist state's decision to decline medical personnel and equipment offered by the South.

The meeting, attended by five ministry heads including Foreign Minister Ban Ki-moon and Unification Minister Jeong Se-hyeon, also discussed supporting civilian groups and NGOs to send in additional aid.

Pyongyang Tuesday turned down Seoul's offer to send additional relief material comprising medicine and essentials, as well as a 50-member medical personnel team and equipment.

Instead, they requested cement, bulldozers, diesel fuel, and similar construction related supplies.

"We are looking into ways to meet the requests by North Korea, to give them full support for humanitarian aid," Foreign Minister Ban said at a briefing yesterday.

(bluelle@heraldm.com)

By Choi Soung-ah