North Korea rejects US food aid
North Korea rejects US food aid
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Wednesday, 18, Mar 2009 10:50
North Korea has refused to accept food aid from the United States, despite facing chronic shortages, US officials have announced.
The decision by Pyongyang comes amid growing tensions over a planned missile test by the north and a joint military exercises by the south and America.
Robert Wood, from the US state department, said yesterday North Korea had informed Washington it did not wish to receive any additional food assistance.
He said, however, the US would continue to work with non-governmental groups in the country "to ensure that food that is already in North Korea is distributed to the intended recipients".
North Korea has had to rely on international aid to feed its population of 23 million since famine struck in the 1990s.
A deal agreed in 2007 saw North Korea agree to disable its main nuclear complex in return for one million tonnes of fuel oil and other concessions.
As part of another agreement between the US and Pyongyang in May last year, 169,000 metric tonnes of food were delivered to North Korea.
Pyongyang has yet to issue any official comment on the reasons for rejecting future aid.