Such a move for its struggling, communist neighbor would break from Seoul's earlier position that aid would only be sent when Pyongyang asked for it, the Yonhap news agency reported.

Recent discussions among South Korean officials led to an agreement that shipments should be resumed soon, possibly next month, either directly or though the U.N. World Food Program, an unidentified Grand National Party official told Yonhap.

"There was no dissent in the government and the ruling party that food assistance for North Korea should be resumed," the official said.

North Korea's grain crop last year reportedly fell at least 1 million tons short of needs for its population of 23 million.

South Korea has proposed talks with the North on sending 50,000 tons of corn but has received no response amid recently chilly relations between the two nations.