A deadlock in inter-Korean relations and broader diplomatic tensions may be to blame for North Korea’s continued disinterest in accepting food aid from the South Korean government, a senior official at the South Korean Ministry of Unification (MOU) said Wednesday.

Speaking at a briefing with media, the official, who wished to remain anonymous, said the South Korea government was still trying to confirm the North’s “official stance” on plans for the ROK to send 50,000 metric tons of rice to the DPRK via the World Food Programme (WFP).

Though unification minister Kim Yeon-chul in June committed to providing the food