South Korea said Thursday it has decided to pay 550 million won (US$520,000) in financial support for North Korea's participation in the Incheon Asian Games.

The decision was made in anticipation of positive effects to inter-Korean ties, the unification ministry said.

The taxpayers' money will be used to cover the transportation costs of the North's 273-member delegation, rental of broadcasting equipment and other expenditures, a ministry official told reporters.

"We have maintained a position to provide relevant support to North Korea in consideration of positive effects expected to the South-North relations, as well as international practice and Asian Games-related regulations," he said on background.

The government originally earmarked 938 million won for sharing the North's financial burden for its participation into the games held from Sept. 19 through Oct. 4. But the actual bill came less than the estimated amount, said the official.

The North also voluntarily paid a total of US$191,682 to the organizing committee of the games for the costs of its delegation's stay in the athletes' village, media crew and local airport use, he added. 

The North's payment was quite unusual. In 2002, the South paid all of the costs for the North's team to join the Busan Asian games.

At the 2014 Incheon Asiad, North Korea won 11 gold, 11 silver and 14 bronze medals, placing seventh in the medal rankings. It was the communist country's first finish in the top 10 since it finished ninth in the 2002 Busan Asian Games. (Yonhap)