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S. Korean group donates medicines to N. Korea
By Tony Chang
SEOUL, July 11 (Yonhap) -- A South Korean pharmaceutical association said Wednesday it had provided North Korea with drugs worth about 3 billion won (US$3.25 million) in May in response to a request from the impoverished country.
In February, the North Korean Red Cross Society sent a letter requesting antibiotics, tuberculosis medicine, pneumonia medications, and other basic drugs, the Korea Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association (KPMA) said.
"Drugs made in the South are precious to us because medicines from China are often fake and not fitting to the North Korean constitution," the society was quoted as saying in the letter.
The North even requested drugs that have outlived their shelf life, underscoring its urgent need for basic drugs, the KPMA said, adding that it had rejected the request for safety reasons.
In late 2006, the North was hit by an outbreak of scarlet fever, which led to travel bans and school closings, according to reports. The country's east coast was also reported to have been struck by a series of infectious diseases in January, affecting up to 4,000 people.
odissy@yna.co.kr
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