Efforts to prevent the spread of malaria in the two Koreas will resume early next month after they were suspended, due to North Korea's sinking of the Cheonan naval ship.

The Second Provincial Office of Gyeonggi Province said Friday that having received approval from the Unification Ministry, it plans to send malaria prevention materials to North Korea via private aid groups early next month.

The provincial office plans to send the materials to four regions in the North. The cargo, worth some 400 million won, includes malaria diagnosis kits, mosquito nets, mosquito coils and preventive medicine for pregnant women.