North Korea seeks more food aid, India raises security concerns

New Delhi: North Korea has sought additional food aid from India during talks between foreign ministers of the two countries in New Delhi on Monday.

India raised its concerns about the clandestine transfer of nuclear and missile technology from the reclusive government in North Korea to Pakistan in the meeting, a foreign ministry statement said, although it did not name Pakistan.

North Korean foreign minister Ri Su Yong’s 12-14 April visit is the first ever from that country and comes at the invitation of his Indian counterpart Sushma Swaraj. It also comes ahead of a visit by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to South Korea next month.

“The foreign minister-level talks were held in a frank and friendly atmosphere, where issues of mutual interest including India’s security concerns came up for discussion,” the ministry’s statement said, adding that Swaraj “conveyed to her Korean counterpart the significance of peace and stability in the Korean peninsula for India’s Act East policy”.

The reference was to tensions in the Korean peninsula between North and South Korea that flare up from time to time and India’s engagements with the countries in the region, including South Korea and Japan. India has strong trade and economic links with both countries.

North and South Korea are technically considered to be at war because the 1950-53 Korean conflict ended with a ceasefire rather than a peace treaty.

Earlier this month, North Korea fired two surface-to-air missiles into the sea as US defence secretary Ashton Carter visited Tokyo and Seoul, South Korea’s defence ministry said on Thursday.

India’s worries about North Korea’s non-proliferation record stems from its suspicions of the country’s close collaboration with Pakistan on missile and nuclear technologies.

India and Pakistan have fought four wars since 1947 and both carried out a series of nuclear tests in May 1998.

In the past, India has responded to requests for food aid from North Korea, sending rice through the World Food Programme.

India also holds foreign office consultations with North Korea. Beyond that, India has limited leverage with the reclusive country, which counts China among its few allies.

According to the Indian statement, Ri “expressed his country’s appreciation for the humanitarian assistance provided by India to DPRK (Democratic People’s Republic of Korea) and in this regard sought additional assistance,” something that Swaraj agreed to “positively” consider.

In 2011, India was quick to respond to a food shortage in North Korea by providing $1 million through the World Food Programme. Pyongyang had appreciated India’s timely assistance. Following this, the North Korean foreign minister visited the Indian embassy for the Republic Day function in Pyongyang on 26 January.

Ri also invited Swaraj to visit North Korea, the statement added.

Swaraj’s interaction follows a contact between India and North Korea on the sidelines of an Association of Southeast Asian Nations meeting, when then foreign minister Salman Khurshid had met then North Korean foreign minister Pak Ui-Chuan. Indian officials said the meeting had been requested by Pyongyang.