EU gives 200,000 euros in North Korea flood aid

The European Union has donated hundreds of thousands of dollars to an international charity group to help flood victims in North Korea, a U.S.-funded radio station reported Tuesday.

The EU, which shipped food aid to the impoverished state to feed its starving people last month, has donated 200,000 euros ($280,000) to the International Federation of Red Cross in flood aid, Voice of America reported, quoting an EU official.

The donated money has already been used in repairing damage caused by recent floods, according to the official, who added the EU might provide further aid if the Red Cross asks for it.

As the U.S. and South Korea remain undecided over whether to resume assistance of food and fuel to Pyongyang on a full scale, the EU sent food aid worth 10 million euros last month, also dispatching its personnel to monitor the distribution of food by the North.

The United Nations, meanwhile, remains undecided over whether to provide flood aid to the North as the information it currently has is not enough to assess the degree of the flood damage in the communist state, the VOA said.

The U.N. has asked North Korea to send more information, it said.

Last month, North Korea reported deaths and damage to farmland and homes from heavy summer rain, sparking concerns over deepening food shortages in the country.

While torrential summer rains affect both North and South Korea, they have been a bigger threat to North Korea due to its lack of drainage facilities and deforestation for firewood.

By Shin Hae-in (hayney@heraldcorp.com)