The food aid is a product of warming relations between the two Koreas, despite the continued crisis over Pyongyang's nuclear weapons programme which hawks in the US argue should be resolved first.

'There are people in Washington who hold the view that food aid helps perpetuate the current leadership in Pyongyang, but the neo-cons have lost their control over North Korean policy because of their failure in Iraq,' said Tim Savage, of think-tank the International Crisis Group.

The lack of progress in six-country nuclear crisis talks has intensified a feud within the US administration over control of North Korean policy between those who advocate trying to negotiate an end to the Stalinist state's nuclear programme and hawks, led by Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, who are pushing for a regime change in Pyongyang.

The argument that humanitarian assistance served to perpetuate the North Korean leadership had lost much of its weight in recent years, Mr Savage said.

'The theory about squeezing North Korea out of existence has been losing momentum. It is 15 years since the collapse of the USSR and there are no signs that North Korea is going away,' he said.

Ironically, the latest despatch of food assistance to the communist country coincides with visit to Seoul by a leading hawk.

Top US arms control official John Bolton stoked the schism in Washington during an earlier visit to the South by describing life in the North as 'hellish nightmare', earning him the tag of 'human scum' in Pyongyang's official media.

Arriving in Seoul on Monday, Mr Bolton had toned down his language, reflecting the upper hand gained in Washington by advocates of a negotiated approach.

'President Bush is determined to seek a peaceful and diplomatic solution to the North Korean search for weapons of mass destruction,' he said.

Despite the divisions in Washington, Seoul has been pursuing a policy of engagement with its communist neighbour while advocating peaceful resolution of the nuclear crisis.

A growing public consensus favouring humanitarian aid has bolstered this stance.

'As recently as three years ago, there were arguments that food was in danger of going to the military in North Korea, but most South Koreans now see humanitarian aid as an essential element in improved inter-Korean relations,' said Lim Won-hyuk of the Korea Development Institute.

Seoul has no desire to see North Korea implode. It is in no position to foot the multibillion-dollar bill that rebuilding the nation would involve, while the threat of retaliation makes it reluctant to consider a military strike.

The policy of engagement is supported by China and Japan.

A traditional ally of Pyongyang, Beijing has a vested interest in avoiding a mass invasion of refugees due to a regime collapse.

Following a summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong-il earlier this year and the release of some abductees, Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi said Japan would offer US$72 million in food and medical assistance.

Mr Koizumi and South Korean President Roh Moo-hyun meet later this week to co-ordinate their policies towards North Korea.