The South Korean government has begun a series of projects to provide economic and humanitarian assistance to the impoverished North Korea.

The government plans to start sending 300-thousand tons of fertilizer to the North next Tuesday, while it prepares emergency assistance for the containment of foot-and-mouth disease and for malaria prevention.

The government held an inter-Korean exchange promotion committee meeting Thursday to send one-hundred-eight billion won worth of fertilizer to the North by tapping its inter-Korean cooperation fund.

Seoul also decided to give the World Health Organization more than one million dollars to buy measles vaccines and vitamins for North Korea.

In addition, Seoul will spend three-point-three billion won to help Pyongyang contain its foot-and-mouth disease outbreak.

The government has also decided to provide the North with more than three-point-seven billion won in construction materials and expenses for reunions of separated families.

And it will also resume flood aid for the North that had been suspended after Pyongyang's nuclear test last October, starting with blanket shipments next Wednesday.