The Red Cross societies of North and South Korea have reached partial agreement on a new shipment of aid from the South. Fears have been raised that South Korea's economic woes might jeopardise the aid programme, which began earlier this year. But after three days of talks in Beijing the two sides agreed that a further 50,000 tonnes of aid would be delivered, but only if they can resolve outstanding differences over monitoring the shipment. From Beijing Duncan Hewitt reports:

Two shipments of aid have already been delivered

North Korea's severe food shortages prompted the Red Cross organisations from the North and South to come to their first accord in more than a decade earlier this year, and two shipments of aid have already made the journey North.

Yet given continuing political tension and South Korea's economic crisis, there have been doubts about the future of the programme.

After three days of talks in Beijing, a South Korean embassy official said the two Red Cross organisations had agreed in principle that another batch of 50,000 tonnes of aid would be delivered. Once again the South Korean side has had to drop its demand for direct delivery across the heavily guarded land frontier.

North Korea, seeing this both as a security risk and visible humiliation, continues to insist that the aid is sent by sea. Demands to allow journalists from the South to accompany the shipment have also been shelved.

But South Korea is still demanding the right to monitor what happens to the food once it arrives in the North, and the embassy spokesman said the North has so far refused to give ground on this. He said both sides would consult with their respective governments on how to resolve what he called a fundamental issue.

North Korea could face a grain shortfall of 1million tonnes

If agreement can be reached, shipment of the corn, edible oil, salt and blankets could begin in March. But with the United Nations World Food Programme estimating that North Korea will face a grain shortfall of some 1 million tonnes by that time, even these supplies are likely to have a limited impact.
 

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