South Korea on Friday began to send 50,000 tons of rice assistance to North Korea overland, South Korea's Yonhap News Agency said.

Over the next five weeks, the South Korea is to deliver 30,000 tons of rice to the North via the road passing through the border town of Kaesong, while another 20,000 tons will be transported across the paved road on the east coast, it said.

South Korea will also deliver another 350,000 tons of rice to North Korea by sea under an agreement reached by both sides earlier.

According to South Korea's Unification Ministry, North Korea is supposed to pay back US$152 million of the rice loan over 20 years after a 10-year grace period at an annual interest rate of 1 percent.

(Xinhua News Agency July 20, 2007)