The government has decided to delay the provision of rice and heavy fuel oil to North Korea if Pyongyang fails to act on its commitments under a February nuclear accord.

The government is considering putting off an inter-Korean economic cooperation meeting set to open on Wednesday if the North fails to invite international inspectors and shut down its reactor in Yongbyon as it has promised in the February 13th agreement.

Even if the inter-Korean economic cooperation talks open as planned, Seoul is mulling a delay in the delivery of rice aid and some 50-thousand tons of heavy fuel oil to the North as Pyongyang failed to meet a deadline set for taking initial nuclear dismantlement steps.

Foreign Minister Song Min-soon, Unification Minister Lee Jae-joung, National Intelligence Service Director Kim Man-bok and presidential Chief of Staff Moon Jae-in reached the decision during a meeting at the presidential office Sunday.

The two Koreas have agreed to discuss ways to provide the North with 400-thousand tons of rice during economic cooperation talks scheduled to run from Wednesday to Saturday.

A government official said the Unification Ministry is likely to announce around Tuesday whether Seoul will provide rice aid to the North as promised.