With indications suggesting that North Korea is in for a bleak harvest, Indonesia has announced it will send food aid worth US$2mn to the country in the hope of providing some relief.
“[We] have coordinated with the National Disaster Mitigation Agency to send aid to the World Food Program, which will later distribute it to citizens of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea,” said the Indonesia’s welfare minister, Agung Laksono, in Jakarta this week.
Agung also hoped that the humanitarian aid, which was initiated by President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, would strengthen diplomatic ties between the two countries.
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North Korea is in a food crisis after its crops and food reserves were damaged by extreme weather following an extended dry spell in the spring and a summer of flash floods and typhoons.
In recent weeks, a series of typhoons has lashed some parts of North Korea, leaving many people homeless.
United Nations officials said the extent of the damage to crops remains unclear and there are hopes it will be limited to areas hit hard by the flash floods. U.N.
workers will fan out across the country starting next week for a far-reaching assessment that should provide a clearer picture on the current state of North Korea's food situation.
