S.Korea to ship aid to North despite tensions

South Korea Wednesday approved two aid shipments of baby formula to North Korea despite rising tensions over the sinking of one of Seoul's warships.

The unification ministry, which must authorise all cross-border exchanges, said the shipments from private groups of milk and other items totalling 320,000 dollars would be sent late this month.



The South cut off most trade with the North after accusing its neighbour of firing a torpedo to sink the ship in March with the loss of 46 lives. It exempted humanitarian aid.

The impoverished North suffers severe food shortages. The UN Children's Fund says one in three of its children is stunted by malnutrition.

Seoul announced its reprisals after investigators from five countries said they found overwhelming evidence that a North Korean submarine had torpedoed the corvette near the disputed Yellow Sea border.

The North denies involvement and says reprisals could spark war.

South Korea has also referred the case to the 15-member United Nations Security Council, saying it must act to censure an act of aggression.

The foreign ministry said Wednesday the investigators would brief council members about their findings at a date to be fixed, at the request of current chairman Mexico.

Of the five permanent veto-wielding council members, China and Russia have so far failed publicly to back moves for UN censure.

Vice Foreign Minister Chun Yung-Woo was due back Wednesday evening from a visit to Beijing to seek its support. China has not publicly condemned its ally the North and has appealed only for restraint.