N. Korea rejects S. Korean group’s offer of malaria help
SEOUL, Korea, Republic Of — A South Korean civic group which offered to provide anti-malarial supplies to North Korea said Monday the North has rejected its proposal because of the South’s support of new U.N. sanctions.
The rejection could complicate efforts by South Korea’s new liberal President Moon Jae-in to expand civilian exchanges with North Korea as a way to improve strained bilateral ties. All major co-operation programs between the rivals remain stalled amid an international standoff over North Korea’s nuclear and missile programs.
In late May, Moon’s government allowed the Seoul-based Korean Sharing Movement to contact North Korea. It was the South Korean government’s first approval of cross-border civilian exchanges since January 2016.
The civic group subsequently exchanged emails with North Korea and proposed to deliver anti-malarial items such as insecticides, diagnostic kits and mosquito repellant to North Korea this week, according to group official Hong Sang-young.