By Patrick Worsnip

UNITED NATIONS, Aug 31 (Reuters) - South Korea, the European Union and Finland have so far contributed to a U.N. emergency appeal for $14.1 million to aid flood-stricken North Korea, a senior U.N. official said on Friday.

The flooding, some of the worst to hit the reclusive communist state in decades, has killed at least 600 people following torrential rain in the second week in August, Pyongyang's official news agency said last weekend.

The U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs launched its appeal on Monday, its Web site said.

"South Korea has pledged officially $2 million, the European Union office has pledged $2.5 million so far, and we've had half a million from Finland," said Deputy Emergency Relief Coordinator Margareta Wahlstrom.

Seoul is also sending aid directly. It will send building material and equipment worth 37.4 billion won ($39.73 million) to help rebuild houses and roads and last week started shipping 7.1 billion won worth of food, medicine and other supplies.

The U.N.'s World Food Program has already started distributing emergency food rations.

According to U.N. figures, more than 960,000 people have been affected by the flooding and nearly 170,000 have been made homeless. Over 240,000 houses have been destroyed or badly damaged.

Transport, communications, medical services and power supplies have been badly hit. More than 11 percent of land for grains and maize has been wiped out, the North Korean news agency has said.

The U.N. appeal is for 11 projects, concentrating on food, medical aid and clean water, OCHA said.

"Assistance is needed immediately to ensure an early recovery of cereal production and thereby farmers' ability to supplement winter crops," the U.N. appeal said.

"Flood-damaged schools will reopen in early September and assistance will be required to repair them in time and to ensure that children have the supplies they need."

Japan's new foreign minister said on Tuesday Tokyo was considering an offer of flood aid to North Korea despite an unresolved dispute over Japanese citizens abducted by Pyongyang decades ago. Wahlstrom said the United Nations would welcome such a move.

($1=941.4 won)

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