South Korea approves $8 million aid to North Korea, timing to be decided later: Reports

SEOUL (Reuters) - South Korea approved a plan on Thursday to send $8 million worth of humanitarian aid to North Korea, the South`s Yonhap News Agency reported, as part of an aid policy that the government says remains unaffected by geopolitical tensions with the North.

The aid decision was made after a meeting of government officials chaired by Unification Minister Cho Myong-gyon. It comes just after the United Nations approved a raft of new sanctions against North Korea for its sixth nuclear test earlier this month.

The South had said earlier it aims to send $4.5 million worth of nutritional products for children and pregnant women through the World Food Programme and $3.5 million worth of vaccines and medicinal treatments through UNICEF. The exact timing of when the aid will be sent will be decided later, Yonhap said.