Treyfish
Moderator
Lee orders measures to help N. Korea deal with H1N1
SEOUL, Dec. 8 (Yonhap) -- South Korean President Lee Myung-bak ordered his government Tuesday to find ways to unconditionally help North Korea deal with a possible outbreak of Influenza A (H1N1), saying the disease could do serious damage throughout the impoverished state.
"There are reports of an outbreak of the new flu in North Korea, so find ways to help North Korea after confirming the reports," the president was quoted as saying in a Cabinet meeting by his office Cheong Wa Dae.
Seoul has virtually halted all its humanitarian or economic assistance to the communist North. Relations between the two Koreas quickly deteriorated after Lee, a conservative, was inaugurated early last year with a pledge to get tough on Pyongyang.
Lee, however, said any assistance to the North in dealing with the H1N1 virus must be strictly humanitarian and unconditional, according to his spokesman Park Sun-kyoo.
"Such assistance must be provided swiftly as the disease could quickly spread in North Korea where conditions are not so good," Lee was quoted as saying.
The president also called for continued efforts to contain the spread of the virus here, saying the number of new cases is dropping but that infections could surge if left unchecked.:tiphat:http://english.yonhapnews.co.kr/national/2009/12/08/77/0301000000AEN20091208002900315F.HTML
SEOUL, Dec. 8 (Yonhap) -- South Korean President Lee Myung-bak ordered his government Tuesday to find ways to unconditionally help North Korea deal with a possible outbreak of Influenza A (H1N1), saying the disease could do serious damage throughout the impoverished state.
"There are reports of an outbreak of the new flu in North Korea, so find ways to help North Korea after confirming the reports," the president was quoted as saying in a Cabinet meeting by his office Cheong Wa Dae.
Seoul has virtually halted all its humanitarian or economic assistance to the communist North. Relations between the two Koreas quickly deteriorated after Lee, a conservative, was inaugurated early last year with a pledge to get tough on Pyongyang.
Lee, however, said any assistance to the North in dealing with the H1N1 virus must be strictly humanitarian and unconditional, according to his spokesman Park Sun-kyoo.
"Such assistance must be provided swiftly as the disease could quickly spread in North Korea where conditions are not so good," Lee was quoted as saying.
The president also called for continued efforts to contain the spread of the virus here, saying the number of new cases is dropping but that infections could surge if left unchecked.:tiphat:http://english.yonhapnews.co.kr/national/2009/12/08/77/0301000000AEN20091208002900315F.HTML