South Korea has decided to provide one million dollars in humanitarian aid to quake-stricken Syria through the United Nations.

In a Thursday briefing, foreign ministry spokesperson Lim Soo-suk said the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs has requested assistance for Syria from the international community and expressed hope that Seoul's support will help the victims recover.

The aid from Seoul, which will be transferred through an international agency in the absence of formal diplomatic ties with Syria that precludes direct communication, will be announced as soon as the country specifies its needs.

One ministry official told reporters that the support will be delivered as quickly as possible with more consultations expected to determine the details.

The government also intends to maintain close tabs on the situation surrounding Syria's civil war.