Unification ministry plans to send over 1,400 medical items to Pyongyang hospital

SEOUL, September 20 - The Unification Ministry in South Korea has compiled a list of over 1,400 medical supplies, including automated external defibrillators, to be sent to a hospital in Pyongyang as part of a humanitarian medical assistance program, according to documents reviewed by Yonhap News Agency. The ministry intends to transport 1,431 items, encompassing 166 categories, necessary for diagnosis, surgery, and treatment, as detailed in a submitted document by the ministry to Rep. Kim Dae-sik of the People Power Party.

These items comprise diagnostic equipment such as X-ray machines, stethoscopes, and blood pressure monitors, as well as operating tables and other surgical and treatment necessities. The ministry emphasized that the selection was made in collaboration with the Korea Foundation for International Healthcare and medical specialists, noting that the plan is contingent on discussions with the North Korean side and could potentially undergo modifications.

The estimated expenditure for this endeavor is US$6.75 million. In May, the ministry obtained a sanctions exemption from the U.N. Security Council's North Korea sanctions committee to facilitate the provision of these medical devices. However, with limited inter-Korean exchanges and dialogue channels due to deteriorating relations, the willingness of Pyongyang to accept such aid remains uncertain.

Certain members of the National Assembly have expressed apprehension regarding the plan, contending that medical equipment might be diverted towards biochemical weapons manufacturing or repurposed for inspecting weapon systems. Unification Minister Chung Dong-young has dismissed these concerns during a recent parliamentary session, asserting that humanitarian medical aid should not be contingent upon North Korea's military policy and asserting that the dire state of North Korea's medical conditions necessitates immediate support.