Sweden plans to offer medical aid to N.K.

Sweden is planning to send medical aid worth US$2.94 million to North Korea, the Voice of America reported Saturday.

The supply of medical aid to the communist state will be made through European relief agencies such as Save the Children U.K., according to the report.

The Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA) said the medical aid to the North is part of its humanitarian assistance, the report said.

Sweden has made donations worth $7.36 million to the North so far this year, accounting for 16 percent of international relief aid in total, according to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA).

South Korea was a major donor to the North for years. But Seoul halted unconditional aid in 2008 and tightened its sanctions on the North last year in retaliation for the communist nation's two deadly attacks on the South that killed 50 South Koreans.

South Korea has since selectively approved humanitarian and medical aid to North Korea by private aid groups. (Yonhap News)