The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies has signed a three-year food relief agreement with North Korea's Red Cross to help North Koreans hit by natural disaster.

The head of the international organization's Asia-Pacific office Simon Missiri said that the agreement aims to support North Korea’s Red Cross, which is isolated on the global stage. He added that the European Red Cross will play a lead role in the effort.

Under the agreement, the Netherlands will take charge of providing medical supplies, while Sweden and Britain will help with drinking water and disaster prevention. Some eight-point-seven million North Koreans are expected to benefit from the humanitarian campaign.