A South Korean aid organization says that the North Korean government has given up on tackling the communist country's chronic food shortages.

The humanitarian organization “Good Friends” said in a news conference held at the National Human Rights Commission Monday that the North’s Workers’ Party had ordered government agencies on May 26th to resolve the food problem by themselves.

The party also said that the government has become unable to fix the food shortage.

According to the South Korean aid group, the North Korean ruling party also declared that the government would fully suspend its food rationing and supply measures while allowing individual trade and market activities.

Accordingly, North Korea’s six ministries, including the Ministry of Foreign Trade, have drawn up detailed measures to help resolve the food crisis.

“Good Friends” urged South Korea to seriously consider offering food aid to North Korea, predicting that more North Korean people would die of starvation without it.