North Korea on Monday expressed its thanks to the United Nations for its 2002 appeal for $260 million dollars in humanitarian aid, including 610,000 tons of food. A spokesman at the North's flood countermeasures committee said the humanitarian assistance the United Nations has provided in recent years has encouraged the North Korean people to overcome their plight caused by natural disasters. Expressing his country's appreciation for the U.N. aid, the spokesman said that North Korea will further strengthen cooperation in the humanitarian field.