South Korea's state-run Public Procurement Service said on Wednesday it would tender to buy 30,000 tonnes of Chinese brown rice on January 18. The tender is to meet part of its 2005 import quota under a World Trade Organisation agreement.

The state-run agency would seek 15,000 tonnes of non-glutinous brown rice and 15,000 tonnes of short non-glutinous brown rice, an official at the agency said.

It will be the third tender for imported rice this year. In the previous two tenders, South Korea sought a total of 45,165 tonnes of rice.

South Korea has to import 225,575 tonnes of rice to meet its 2005 import quota.

Copyright Reuters, 2005