The United States has reaffirmed that it has no plans to provide food aid to North Korea at the present time.

State Department spokesman Philip Crowley told reporters on Tuesday that he is not aware of any current plans by Washington to provide food assistance, adding that Washington is "watching the situation in North Korea very closely."

Crowley added that should an assistance request be made, the U.S. has "particular stipulations that it would be effectively managed and monitored to make sure that the food got to the intended recipients," instead of being "shuffled off to the elites."

Crowley made the remarks after being asked to comment on media reports that the U.S. plans to offer the North 500-thousand tons in food aid.