By Brian Han

North Korea recently expressed through its Korean Central News Agency that it is in the midst of its worst drought in over 100 years and South Korea is willing to offer help under one simple condition — just ask.

Foreign Minister and authority on inter-Korean ties Hong Yong-pyo spoke on behalf of South Korea saying that they will be monitoring the drought situation in the North and will offer aid if it is requested according to Yonhap News Agency.

North Korea’s dramatic announcement regarding the drought was seen by many countries as a means of asking for help without actually requesting it outright. So far there has been a mixed response.

The U.S. recently stated that they had looked into the claims and had no plans to provide any assistance based on the information they had gathered.

It has offered food aid to North Korea in the past as recent as 2012 in return for halting both the country’s nuclear weapons program and missile development.

North Korea violated the agreement and the offer was withdrawn.

Tensions have been especially high between the two countries due to the North’s ongoing claims of nuclear weapons development as well as human rights abuses.

China on the other hand said that it does plan to provide aid in the form of food as one of the North’s few allies.

The most recent reports from the United Nations claims that about 70 percent of North Korea’s 24.6 million people are significantly affected by the food shortages.

Although Hong did not outline the exact form of help the South would be willing to provide, he hopes that the actions could spark a discussion between the two countries to ease growing tensions.

“At a time when the two Koreas are coping with drought, I think that this situation can be a chance to promote cooperation,” Hong told reporters during a briefing. “If North Korea faces tougher situations, South Korea is willing to provide the necessary support to North Korea.”