N Korea seeks aid from South despite chills in relations

The North Korean Committee for the Implementation of the June 15 Declaration -- named after the historic inter-Korean summit in 2000 -- expressed its gratitude for South Koreans' efforts to help flood victims.

"We hope that the relief aid, instead of instant noodles or clothing, should be mainly composed of construction materials such as cement and steel, construction vehicles as well as food, blankets and medicines," the committee said.

"We request your side to inform other groups (of what we want)."

The request was contained in a letter faxed to the committee's South Korean counterpart.

The committee also thanked its southern counterpart and other South Korean civilian groups "for their efforts to help overcome the losses inflicted by the heavy rains."

It was the first time the communist state had asked for help from South Korea since last month's heavy rain. Up to 10,000 people are dead or missing, according to South Korean aid group Good Friends.

The North had rejected an aid offer from the South's Red Cross after Seoul suspended official government assistance in a dispute over the missile tests.

Lee Jae-Gyu, spokesman for the South's committee, said it was noteworthy that Pyongyang made a public appeal for aid from the South despite chills in ties caused by the North's missile tests and drive for nuclear weapons.