Seoul approves civilian contact with North Korea

SEOUL: South Korea yesterday authorised a civilian NGO to contact the North to discuss resuming humanitarian aid and projects, the first example of new liberal president Moon Jae-In’s pursuit of dialogue with Pyongyang.

The centre-left president favours engagement with the North to bring it to the negotiating table, rather than the hardline stance taken by the conservative government of his ousted precedessor Park Geun-Hye.

Unauthorised contacts with North Koreans or visits to the North are punishable by jail terms in the South.

But the Unification Ministry gave the green light to a request by the Korean Sharing Movement.

“The government’s stance is that it should remain flexible in handling civilian exchanges such as humanitarian aid as long as they don’t compromise the international sanctions regime against the North,” ministry spokeswoman Lee Eugene told reporters.

The decision comes even as tensions remain high after North Korea test-fired this month its longest-range ballistic missile yet. — AFP