South Korea plans to provide North Korea with 400,000 tons of rice.

The Unification Ministry reported on the North Korean food assistance program to a National Assembly panel on Tuesday.

The envisaged food aid is worth 312 billion won or some 271 million U.S. dollars.

The ministry said the rice aid will be provided in the form of a long-term low-interest loan with the funds for the aid being appropriated from the inter-Korean cooperation fund and other government expenditures.

Considering the dire situation of food shortages in the communist state, the ministry said the rice shipment would be delivered at the earliest time possible.

The ministry said it will take measures to ensure the rice aid will be provided to the needy people in the North and monitor transparency in distribution. The rice aid will also carry markings making clear that it is from South Korea.

Meanwhile, 100,000 tons of corn, worth 2.4 million dollars, will be sent to the impoverished state through the World Food Program (WFP). After consulting with the WFP, the Seoul government plans to ship the corn aid sometime during the August-October period.