It Makes a Difference to the Sheep

U.S. TO RESUME FOOD AID TO NORTH KOREA But in somewhat reduced fashion.

Richard A. Boucher, the State Department spokesman, said that the United States will deliver at least 40,000 metric tons of food to North Korea in 2003, and was prepared to increase that amount by another 60,000 tons.

In 2002 the United States' contribution to the World Food Program, the United Nations food aid organization, was 157,000 metric tons, more than half of the program's total.

State Department officials said the reduction in aid this year was mainly the result of two factors: the World Food program has reduced its request for North Korea, while demands for American food in other regions, particularly Africa, have risen sharply.

A sign of a potential thaw? Perhaps, but the U.S. steadfastly refuses bilateral talks with the DPRK and maintains its embargo of heavy fuel oil.