SEOUL, SEPT 23: Pakistan has promised to give famine-stricken North Korea 30,000 tonnes of free grain, the Communist state's official media reported today.The first shipment of 14,000 tonnes arrived in North Korea yesterday, the official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said.
Pakistan and North Korea maintain close military ties. The US State department believes North Korea has been selling missile technology and equipment to Pakistan.
Pakistan provided North Korea with 5,000 tonnes of grain and 160,000 dollars in other relief goods in 1996 and 2,000 tonnes of grain in 1997, KCNA said.
North Korea is suffering dire food shortages after three years of disastrous weather that aggravated problems caused by inefficient cooperative farming techniques.
Copyright © 1998 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.
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