S. Korea sends antiviral drugs to N.K.

South Korea sent 500,000 doses of H1N1 flu medication to North Korea on Friday in the first state-level humanitarian assistance to its impoverished neighbor in nearly two years, according to Yonhap News.

North Korea acknowledged on Dec. 9 that it had nine domestic cases of the Influenza A virus infection, which has already claimed the lives of over 140 people in South Korea.

The shipment of Tamiflu and Relenza worth $15 million was transported over the military demarcation line to the North`s border town of Kaesong via refrigerated trucks at around 9:20 a.m., Unification Ministry spokeswoman Lee Jong-joo said.

According to the World Health Organization, the North`s Health Ministry reported that the nine patients -- all schoolchildren aged between 11 and 14 -- have recovered and no additional cases have been reported.

But Seoul expressed doubt over the credibility of the report.

"Our judgment is that there are various kinds of information with regard to the credibility (about the report) that there have been no new flu patients in addition to the nine people," Lee said at a press briefing on Thursday.

Another senior ministry official said at a background briefing, "Judging from various bits of intelligence, the new flu appears to be spreading in North Korea."

The delivery also reflects Seoul`s intent to take preemptive measures for the winter, during which the spread of the H1N1 flu virus may speed up, officials said.