The World Food Program says North Korea has recently banned U.N. monitors for equitable aid distribution from some ten regions of the country.

WFP officials said Monday that North Korean authorities had forbidden monitoring by the U.N. body in the regions beginning late last year.

The international food aid program reportedly responded to the North's measure by cutting food aid to the North's Jagang Province since December under its "no access, no food" policy. The food aid cut will continue until next month.

The U.N. body also halted food aid to the Gangdong and Shincheon districts in January and the Gowon district this month.

Under North Korea's recent closed-door policy, access to Jagang province, where the WFP has been facing monitoring problems since last August, has been completely cut off.

The number of "restricted regions" banning the entry of WFP monitors has subsequently increased from the previous 42 to 52.