North Korea has asked Seoul to provide it with some 100-thousand tons of fertilizer. North Korea's Red Cross made the request in a telephone message to its South Korean counterpart on Tuesday.

An official of South Korea's National Red Cross said Wednesday that his agency had asked the Northern aid organization three times in the last month to resume Red Cross talks to discuss the construction of a permanent family reunion center.

The official added that the North had given no response to Seoul's proposal for Red Cross talks, and had only requested fertilizer aid.

The official said it would be difficult to accept the North's request as prospects for inter-Korean Red Cross talks continue to remain gloomy.