(2nd LD) N. Korea accepts Seoul's aid offer for H1N1 outbreak

(ATTN: RECASTS lead; UPDATES with details of South Korea's anti-virual drug stock at
bottom)
SEOUL, Dec. 10 (Yonhap) -- North Korea on Thursday accepted South Korea's offer
of medical aid to help stem an outbreak of the H1N1 virus in the isolated state,
the Seoul government said.

"A North Korean liaison officer told us by telephone that it (North Korea) would
accept the aid," said Unification Ministry spokesman Chun Hae-sung, adding that
Seoul plans to provide a "sufficient" amount of Tamiflu after consulting with
relevant government branches.
South Korea proposed aid shipments after the North acknowledged the new flu
outbreak on Wednesday. The North said nine people have contracted the virus.
President Lee Myung-bak has ordered his government to provide "unconditional" aid
to help stem the spread of the flu in North Korea.
The provision of drugs will mark the first humanitarian aid from the current
Seoul administration to the North, and the first government-level aid since
President Lee took office last year.
"We are hoping for the delivery to be made as soon as possible after agreeing on
the terms of the delivery with North Korea," Chun said.
Another government source said that the amount of Tamiflu to be provided could
reach hundreds of thousands of doses.
The South Korean government currently has in stock some 6 million doses of
Tamiflu and other anti-viral drugs, and is scheduled to increase the amount to
8.2 million by the end of this year, according to health ministry officials.
odissy@yna.co.kr
(END)