South Korea halts large-scale aid to North

SEOUL, Oct. 18 (UPI) -- North Korea can expect less than 5 tons of corn in humanitarian aid from South Korea this year, a senior government official said.

North Korea Friday requested aid during Red Cross talks on cross-border family reunions, South Korea's Yonhap news agency reported Sunday.

In years past, under more liberal leadership, South Korea customarily sent hundreds of thousands of tons of rice and fertilizer to the North when North Korea would agree to let families separated during the 1950-1953 Korean conflict meet.

The massive shipments came to halt when conservative President Lee Myung-bak took office last year.

Lee supports United Nations sanctions restricting aid and cash to North Korea until it agrees to halt its nuclear development program, Yonhap reported.

A senior South Korean official who requested anonymity said less than 5 tons of corn was the most aid South Korea was considering this year.

"The government will consider (small-scale) assistance for vulnerable groups there like infants and children," the official told Yonhap.