Seoul is planning on delivering construction equipment and building materials to Ryongchon, the site of a deadly train blast in North Korea, via an overland route this week.

The North's Red Cross earlier said it would take over the South's relief convoy at the border city of Gaesong. A South Korean government official says the convoy of trucks loaded with construction materials would be heading to the North on Friday at the earliest.

South Korea also plans to send a team of government officials from related ministries, including the Unification and Foreign Affairs ministries, to China's border city of Dandong around Wednesday to coordinate relief efforts for the North.

South Korea is scheduled to send further shipments of relief aid by air around Tuesday and by sea on Wednesday.