North KoreaThe United States will provide North Korea with up to $900,000 in emergency flood assistance, the State Department said Thursday in what appeared to be another sign of easing tension between the North and Washington.

The announcement follows a decision by South Korea to offer almost $5 million worth of food aid to North Korea to help it recover from summer floods. The Koreas and Washington have seen a flurry of diplomatic activity in the past several weeks as the United States gauges conditions for the resumption of six-party talks on ending North Korea’s nuclear arms program.