정부, 오늘 병해충 방제 약제 50톤 북한 개성지역에 전달
South Korea delivered 50 tons of pesticide to North Korea at the border town of Gaeseong this morning.
The chemicals are to be used to maintain the regime's forests.
Officials from both sides carried out pest control operations and also inspected some nearby pine forests.
Oh Jung-hee has our top story
South Korean officials made their second-ever on-site forestry visit to North Korea on Thursday.
According to Seoul's unification ministry,... forestry experts and officials from South Korea's Forest Service visited North Korea's border town of Gaeseong on Thursday... and delivered 50 tons of chemicals to control pine wilt.
The delivery is to prevent damage from spreading throughout the pine forests,... as they have a limited amount of time to control pine wilt -- only up until March.
After unloading the chemicals in the morning, the South Korean team inspected a nearby pine forest with North Korean officials... and conducted pest control operations in the afternoon.
The operation doesn't go against UN sanctions... as the chemicals are not restricted items... and the necessary equipment is provided by the North.
This is the second time South Korea sent officials for an on-site visit to North Korea's forests.
Back in August, Seoul officials visited the North's Geumgangsan Mountain for a joint survey.
During Thursday's on-site visit, forestry teams from South and North Korea also touched upon modernizing tree nurseries as well.
At their forestry talks in October, the two sides agreed to start upgrading 10 tree nurseries in the North this year... which South Korea is determined to carry out.
Seoul says it's been communicating with Washington through their bilateral working group... and will seek ways not to violate the international sanctions.
Oh Jung-hee, Arirang News.
