The United Nations Security Council has granted sanctions exemptions to the World Health Organization(WHO) and two non-governmental organizations(NGOs) to provide North Korea with humanitarian aid. 

A UN committee overseeing sanctions on North Korea said on its Web site that it has granted the waivers for the WHO as well as for the Irish NGO Concern Worldwide and the German NGO Deutsche Welthungerhilfe earlier this month. 

The list of items approved for the WHO include decontamination kits and radio communications equipment for the safety of its staff stationed in North Korea. 

For the Irish and German humanitarian groups, the UN will allow the delivery of equipment for food security and safe drinking water for North Koreans.

The exemptions, which were granted in mid-February, are valid for six months.

The recent approvals have raised the total number of humanitarian exemptions related to North Korea to 15.

[Photo : YONHAP News]