U.S. Commits More Food Aid to North Korea

Responding to an emergency U.N. appeal, the United States will provide North Korea with an additional $15 million in food aid targeted at children under 6 years old. The aid, announced Tuesday, increases Washington’s relief effort to about $33 million since 1995.

State Department spokesman Nicholas Burns said the decision was not linked to a North Korean announcement, expected today, on whether to accept a U.S.-South Korean proposal to begin peace talks.

Secretary of State Madeleine Albright said North Korea “has begun to move, ever so slowly, in the direction of greater contact and openness with the outside world.” She said U.S. policy would be to maintain military deterrence on the Korean peninsula while trying to demonstrate to Pyongyang “the benefits of cooperation” with the West.

The U.S. plans to channel the food aid through the U.N. World Food Program, which on April 3 asked for 100,000 tons of food relief on top of an earlier request for 100,000 tons.

In response to the earlier appeal, the United States already had agreed to a $10-million contribution of corn-soy blend for young children as well as rice and corn. The donation is being sent aboard two ships that are due to arrive in May.