Pyongyang has yet to respond to Seoul’s request for cooperation in dealing with African swine fever(ASF). 

A Unification Ministry official said on Tuesday that the government delivered to the North last Friday its intention to cooperate in preventing the spread of ASF and is awaiting a reply.

The official said that the South only informed its intention to cooperate and that the details of how it may do so will be discussed later if and when the two Koreas launch related talks. 

The official said Seoul and Washington are closely discussing policies regarding North Korea via various channels.

The two Koreas agreed last November to cooperate on the exchange of information on contagious diseases, but animal-related diseases were not an explicit area outlined for cooperation.