North Korea is reportedly distributing military reserve rice to local residents and factory workers in the food-short spring season.

A Seoul official said on Friday that the South recently obtained the information and believes it is plausible.

The official said that the North had distributed rice reserved for the military to its people several times in the past.

The official said that last year the North’s grain production was predicted to rise 15 percent from average years, but the impoverished county is always short of food in spring due to chronic food shortage.

The official projected that, given the critical food condition, China will soon send food aid to North Korea.