North Korea has rejected South Korea's offer of corn aid. Unification Ministry spokesman Kim Ho-nyoun told reporters a North Korean working-level official turned down the aid offer last month.

However, he said the government will provide 50-thousand tons of corn aid to North Korea once the North gives details on when, where and how to send it.

Kim went on to say the chief of the South Korean Red Cross tried to send a phone message to his North Korean counterpart but it was not accepted. However, the spokesman added that Seoul was still waiting for a positive response from Pyongyang.

If the silence continues, the South Korean government will consider taking necessary steps from a humanitarian perspective. It says the action will be based on the results of food surveys on North Korea being conducted by international organizations.

Last month, the government proposed through Red Cross channels at the truce village of Panmunjeom to discuss the provision of corn aid. But there was no response.