South Korea's unification ministry has offered to hold working-level talks with North Korea on offering support for its neighbor, which is battling its first confirmed outbreak of COVID-19, the ministry said on Monday.
The ministry, charged with maintaining relations between the two nations, said it had expressed willingness to provide medicines, from vaccines to test kits, as well as technical co-operation, based on the South's experience with quarantine.
South Korea's President Yoon Suk-yeol said on Monday the country will spare no effort to help North Korea, as the isolated nation battles a COVID-19 outbreak, and reiterated he will remain open for humanitarian aid.
"If North Korea responds (to our support), we will spare no medicines including COVID-19 vaccines, medical equipment and health personnel," said Yoon in a speech at the plenary session of the National Assembly.
Separately in the speech, Yoon also said he will discuss with US President Joe Biden ways to strengthen cooperation on the global supply chain through the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework. Biden is scheduled to visit the country this week.