South Korea's delivery of food aid for North Korea is being held up due to a delay in forming standing committees of the newly elected National Assembly.

Earlier last month, South Korea agreed to extend 400,000 tons of food aid to its impoverished North, but partisan bickering in parliament has held back the prompt implementation of follow-up measures to the agreement.

However, Rep. Yoo Ho-sun of the ruling Uri party said that though the standing committees are not in place yet, his party may ask for "cooperation" from the parliamentary speaker and opposition camps to ensure a timely delivery of food aid to the North.