By Shim Jae-yun
Staff Reporter

North Korea will partially accept South Korea’s proposal to send relief goods for the victims of the devastating train collision in Ryongchon via inland roads of the North across the heavily fortified demilitarized zone, it said on Friday.

In a telephone message to its South Korean counterpart, the North Korean Red Cross said it would receive the supplies including trucks, heavy equipment and others in Kaesung near the border.

The North has also accepted the proposal to send desks and chairs and other educational supplies for school-aged students.

The North said it would prepare for the South’s dispatch of personnel to Dandong in northern China or Shinuiju in the North to give instruction on operation of the equipment.

``North Korea also accepted the South’s proposal to send the rehabilitation equipment via sea routes,’’ a Red Cross official said.

North Korean Red Cross chairman Jang Jae-on expressed gratitude to his South Korean counterpart Lee Yoon-koo for helping with the reconstruction in the wake of the disaster which claimed 161 lives and injured thousands of people.

North Korea earlier refused the South’s proposal toward that end during an inter-Korean meeting in Kaesung to discuss the rehabilitation work.

jayshim@koreatimes.co.kr