South Korea has donated $5.73 million in humanitarian assistance for North Korea so far this year to help the impoverished country improve its public health situation and restore villages still reeling from the aftermath of typhoons, UN data showed Tuesday.

According to the data released by the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, South Korea has delivered $4 million to the World Health Organization (WHO) and another $1.7 million to the North's Red Cross Society as of Friday.



The combined amount marks the largest portion of $7.75 million donated to the North this year so far, followed by Switzerland's $1.35 million donation and Germany's $672,000.

South Korea unveiled the plan last month to provide money to help North Korea repair typhoon-hit facilities in the Pyongan and Hamgyong provinces, and conduct drills to beef up North Koreans' disaster preparedness.

Earlier, the government also said it will donated $5 million to WHO for a humanitarian project to increase access to medical treatment for North Korean women and children. Of the total, $1 million was delivered last month, according to the data. (Yonhap)