A group of religious figures has again urged the government to provide food aid to impoverished North Korea.

The group comprising figures from the Christian, Buddhist and Catholic sectors issued a statement Sunday to express regret over the Unification Ministry’s announcement that the North’s food shortage situation is not as serious as some speculate.

Earlier this month, the group submitted to the Unification Ministry a list containing one-million signatures, calling for humanitarian aid to the North.

The group asked the ministry to provide 200-thousand tons of emergency food aid to Pyongyang and allocate one percent of the government budget as funds to assist economic development in the North.