The World Food Programme (WFP) has not provided North Korea with any food assistance for nearly a year, its monthly report showed Wednesday, amid the country's strict border controls against COVID-19.

The UN food agency last delivered 891.5 tons of fortified food and 4,970 tons of raw food commodities to North Korea from January to March last year, assisting 566,886 people, according to its December brief on activities for the impoverished nation.

"After the introduction of COVID-19 preventive measures, WFP continued operations using remaining in-country food stocks," it read. "The last distribution took place in March 2021 when all food stocks were exhausted."

It added that "very few relief items" have been allowed to enter the North since August 2021, as they had to undergo quarantine for more than three months and disinfection measures. (Yonhap)