The Republic of Korea (RoK) will give rice aid to the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) even if Pyongyang misses an imminent deadline to shut down a key nuclear plant, a top official has said.
Vice Unification Minister Shin Eon-sang said that while aid and the nuclear freeze remained linked, "either of them can come half a step earlier".
The DPRK asked Seoul for 400,000 tonnes of rice aid at talks last month. The comments come a day after top Asian diplomats voiced doubt that Pyongyang would meet the 14 April deadline.
Under the landmark 13 February agreement, the DPRK agreed to shut down and seal its Yongbyon reactor within 60 days in return for energy aid and other incentives from the US, China, RoK, Japan and Russia.
The two Koreas are set to hold economic talks in Pyongyang from 18-21 April. Mr Shin said that a final decision on how much rice to send would be made then.
BBC/VOVNews
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