North Korea, has asked South Korea, for 300,000 tonnes of fertiliser for the sowing season.South Korea's Unification Ministry said in a statement, that North Korea's Red Cross issued the request for fertiliser aid, similar to a request made two months ago. So far this year, the South has sent 150,000 tonnes of fertiliser in addition to the 450,000 tonnes last year.
North Korea has consistently said it no longer needed food aid from agencies such as the U.N. World Food Programme, but receives food aid from China and the South.
South Korean officials have said the fertiliser aid is part of bilateral humanitarian assistance and not directly tied to progress in six-country talks on ending North Korea's nuclear weapons programmes.
