S. Korea to offer $18.5 mln in humanitarian aid to Yemen

SEOUL, June 3 (Yonhap) -- South Korea said Wednesday it will provide US$18.5 million in humanitarian aid to Yemen to help combat food shortages and the coronavirus pandemic.

The foreign ministry said South Korea announced its plans, in a virtual high-level pledging event organized on Tuesday by Saudi Arabia and the United Nations, to provide assistance to Yemen where more than 24 million people, or some 80 percent of the population, are in need of assistance.

The aid will be used to help Yemen fight the new coronavirus and deal with the food shortage, including support for a project that has provided rice to the poverty-stricken country since 2018, according to the ministry.

South Korea plans to continue providing assistance to countries struggling with protracted humanitarian crisis and take responsibility as a middle power in solidarity with the world, the ministry added.
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