Brussels, 15/03/2002 (Agence Europe) - The European Union is to provide aid of EUR 5.55 million to the population of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. The aid should, says the Commission, be used for rehabilitation and water improvement projects and sanitation for the benefit of around 250,000 persons. Funds will be allocated via ECHO, the Commission's Humanitarian Aid Office, to the partner NGOs. In 2001, ECHO provided EUR 3.36 million in aid to North Korea.