KARACHI, Pakistan

South Korea's humanitarian assistance to longtime rival North Korea reached zero last year for the first time in nearly 30 years as Pyongyang refused to accept aid.

South Korea's Unification Ministry said Wednesday that not a single humanitarian assistance program for North Korea, either at the government or private level, was carried out last year, amid what it said was Pyongyang's "continued antagonistic stance" toward Seoul.

According to Yonhap News, it marks the first time that such aid has plummeted to zero since South Korea started providing humanitarian assistance in 1995, following severe food shortages in North Korea caused by massive rains and flooding.

Seoul dispatched 150,000 tons of rice to Pyongyang at the time.

South Korea’s humanitarian aid to North Korea, which peaked at 439.7 billion won ($302 million) in 2007, began declining after North Korea's alleged nuclear weapons and missile development gained traction

The last such aid to North Korea involved a nutrition support program for North Korean children, which was carried out in 2023 with a budget of 900 million won ($618,091), including 700 million won ($480,756) in private funding.

"North Korea is not accepting most outside assistance proposals, except those from UNICEF. Its refusal of those from South Korea is stronger," a Unification Ministry official was quoted as saying by Yonhap News Agency.