The United Nations said on Thursday that North Korea recently asked it to reduce the number of its staff in the communist country by the end of the year.

UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said in a regular press briefing when asked about a related report that the UN is negotiating with Pyongyang on the issue of cutting international aid staff.

Reuters reported the previous day that Kim Chang-min, secretary general of North Korea's National Coordinating Committee, requested in a letter last month that the UN reduce its presence in the North.

Kim reportedly demanded the reduction occur before the end of the year, saying that UN-supported programs failed to bring desired results due to the politicization of UN assistance by “hostile forces.”  

The North Korean official reportedly demanded that by year's end, the number of international staff for the UN Development Program must be cut from six to one or two, World Health Organization staff from six to four and UNICEF employees from 13 to 12 or eleven.

The UN spokesperson, however, said that continued capacity at current levels is vital for ensuring continued UN support for critical food security, water and nutrition programming, as well as mobilizing resources.

[Photo : YONHAP News]