By Hyo-Jin Paik
Impunity Watch Reporter, Asia

SEOUL, South Korea– Despite North Korea’s threats of “merciless military measures” after a naval clash between the two Koreas earlier this week, South Korea said they remain committed to providing humanitarian aid to the North.

The North and South Korean navies clashed by the disputed maritime border on Tuesday, leaving a North Korean ship damaged.  Since then, the two countries have been accusing each other of illegally entering territorial waters and firing the first shot.

  South Korean ships patrolling their waters.  Courtesy of AP.

Both sides have been demanding an apology, and North Korea has threatened South Korea with military actions over this naval skirmish. 

Nevertheless, the South Korean Unification Ministry released a statement saying, “With regard to North Korea’s request for humanitarian aid…[t]here is no change in the government’s stance.”

The North had asked for 100,000 tons of food back in October.  Furthermore, farmers and leaders are pressuring the South Korean government to send rice to North Korea, especially because there is a chronic oversupply of rice in the South.

Choi Young-ok, an official from a South Korean NGO, said, “Rice is the most suitable item for resumption of humanitarian aid to North Korea as it is the main staple grain for Koreas.  The [South Korean] government’s offer of 10,000 tons of corn is not nearly enough.” 

The South had stopped sending rice aid to the North after a new administration took over earlier this year. 

South Korean Unification Ministry spokeswoman Lee Jong-joo said, “The South had spent 200 30 300 billion won each year to send the rice under the previous administrations…Resumption of such massive aid will be determined after sufficient dialogue with the North, in consideration of inter-Korea relations.”

The U.S. has asked the North not to escalate tensions on the Korean peninsula, and the UN Secretary-General is urging the two Koreas to resolve this dispute through peaceful dialogue. 

UN spokesman said, “[Secretary-General] has called for maximum restraint by both parties.  The incident highlights the need to resolve all outstanding issues through dialogue and in a peaceful manner.”

For more information, please see:

The Korea Herald – Protests spread to restart N.K. rice aid – 12 November 2009

The Korea Times – Seoul to Offer Aid to NK Despite Clash – 11 November 2009

NYT – North Korea Issues New Threat After Naval Clash – 13 November 2009