A daily published by a pro-North Korea group of ethnic Koreans in Japan says the North last month normalized its food supply nationwide.

The Chosun Shinbo on Thursday quoted Pyongyang officials as saying food supply that was disturbed by poor food conditions has normalized, but denied that the measure is a revival of food rations.

The North said it will provide its people with the set amount of food from fall.

The paper also said markets are no longer selling rice privately in the wake of the restoration of state supply.