The South Korean government says right now it is not looking into sending food aid to North Korea, despite reports of a severe food shortage crisis.

Unification Ministry Deputy Spokesperson Lee Eugene clarified the position on Friday, but said both Seoul and Washington maintain that humanitarian aid to the North should continue.

The spokesperson added that Seoul is keeping tabs on the situation in the North through the UN's World Food Program and Food and Agriculture Organization, noting the two agencies will soon release findings of a related joint study. 

Meanwhile, the co-heads of the inter-Korean liaison office failed to hold their weekly meeting for the tenth consecutive week, amid a deadlock in North Korea's nuclear negotiations with the U.S.

The last meeting of the two Korea's liaison office chiefs was held on February 22nd, days before the collapse of the U.S.-North Korea summit in Hanoi.