Russia offers $4 million in humanitarian aid to N. Korea: OCHA tracking data

SEOUL, May 1 (Yonhap) -- Russia has offered US$4 million in humanitarian aid to North Korea though a U.N. agency this year, positioning itself as a top donor to the impoverished state, official data showed Wednesday.

The financial tracking service of the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) revealed that Moscow's provision accounted for 54 percent of the total incoming funding worth $7.4 million, which Sweden, Switzerland, Canada, France and Ireland also contributed to.

The data came after North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and Russian President Vladimir Putin held their first summit last week in the Far East city of Vladivostok, where the North Korean leader was expected to call for economic support amid biting international sanctions.

It remains unclear whether Russia decided to make the financial contribution in connection with the summit.

The incoming contributions from Sweden, Switzerland and Canada are $1.57 million, $1 million and $569,909, respectively, according to data. Those from France and Ireland were tallied at $140,924 and $113,766 respectively.

sshluck@yna.co.kr
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