US won’t provide food aid to N. Korea during its worst drought in 100 years

North Korea is entering what it calls its “worst drought in 100 years” and the U.S. made it clear in a statement Wednesday that it has no plans to take part in providing food aid.

The North has historically relied on international assistance to get through food shortages, but it has been rubbing the rest of the world the wrong way on highly-sensitive issues including nuclear weapons development and alleged human rights abuses.

“I’ve seen the reports about the drought. I don’t have any specific information about the validity of the drought,” U.S. State Department spokesman John Kirby told reporters during a new brief regarding North Korea’s situation according to Yonhap News Agency.

Kirby was then asked if the U.S. may respond to the reports and provide any sort of assistance with food shortages.

“I’m not aware of any such plans, no,” he said.

The U.S. 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.

After failing to meet the minimum requirements by launching a test rocket, the U.S. rescinded its offer.