S. Korea to use government funds for humanitarian aid to N. Korea

South Korea has opened the door for government funds to be used for humanitarian aid to North Korea for the first time since sanctions were imposed on the regime in 2010. Hwang Sung-hee reports on how the move could signal a possible shift in inter-Korean relations. South Korea's Ministry of Unification said Tuesday it would use its government-led Inter-Korean Cooperation Fund to provide humanitarian aid to the North Korean people. "The unification ministry has repeatedly expressed a will to provide humanitarian aid that will be of practical help to the North Korean people... and to cooperate in the agriculture and livestock sectors. The government plans to make a total of three-billion won, roughly three-million U.S. dollars, available for groups that help in the medical, agriculture and livestock sectors. This marks the first time Seoul will be using public funds for humanitarian aid to Pyongyang since heavy economic sanctions were imposed on the regime in 2010... following a North Korean attack on a South Korean warship. An official at the unification ministry said the move does not mean the sanctions have been lifted, but that the government is merely providing humanitarian support for certain sectors. Experts say it could lead to a shift in inter-Korean relations. "Talks of a peaceful peninsula and better inter-Korean ties are highly likely when the pope visits in August... and during the Asian Games in September. It's possible that the cross-border policies of President Park Geun-hye and Kim Jong-un will become more flexible in the process." But stumbling blocks remain. Chances of more missile launches by the North,... and joint military drills between South Korea and the United States that begin on Wednesday are almost certain to complicate matters. Hwang Sung-hee, Arirang News.