North Korea has asked for international agencies and non-governmental organizations operating there to leave by the end of this year, perplexing NGO officials.

North Korea has called for humanitarian aid to be changed to "developmental assistance," and most of the 12 NGO groups there have been asked to complete their aid activities.

Radio Free Asia reported that senior officials at NGOs such as Ireland's Concern, France's Triangle Generation and Germany's German Agro Action are frustrated over North Korea's decision to halt their on-going aid activities.

Ann Omahony, head of Concern's Asian affairs, said in a Sunday interview with Radio Free Asia that it is hard to understand the North's request because her group has been focusing on practical developmental assistance for years by improving the regional agricultural environment.

Patrick Valbluggan, chief of North Korean aid at Triangle Generation, is also at a loss over the North's sudden request for a shift to developmental assistance.

Meanwhile, United Nations relief coordinator Jan Egeland on Saturday urged Pyongyang to receive food aid until the end of the year, for the sake of starving children, after the North requested an end to UN humanitarian aid by year’s end.