A South Korean civilian group crossed the inter-Korean border Tuesday to provide fertilizer and other assistance needed for a greenhouse project in North Korea, relevant company officials said.

Representatives from Ace Gyeongam, the foundation run by bed maker Ace, visited North Korea for the first time in six months earlier in the day to deliver items necessary for running greenhouses in Sariwon, about 70 kilometers southeast of Pyongyang, according to the officials.

"Most of the materials are greenhouse-related ones. The portion of fertilizer is small," said an official at the Unification Ministry, which approved their visit to the North.

In April, Ace Gyeongam provided materials worth 200 million won ($177,120), including fertilizer, vinyl and pipes that are needed to build greenhouses.

At that time, the South's government approved a private group's bid to send fertilizer to North Korea for the first time since it imposed sanctions on the North over a deadly warship sinking in 2010.

Seoul has vowed to encourage more civilian groups to increase humanitarian aid to the North this year in inter-Korean exchanges in non-political sectors.

South and North Korea reached a deal on Aug. 25 to defuse military tension and spur more exchanges at the non-government level.

In 2009, Ace Gyeongam set up 50 greenhouses on farms in Sariwon with an aim to increase the number to 300 units in the near future.

Separately, a South Korean non-profit agency on forestation said it is providing some 23,000 saplings and 4 tons of seeds to North Korea to increase the number of trees in the country. They will be delivered to the North through Ace Gyeongam, according to the agency.

The organization, led by former South Korean Prime Minister Goh Kun, was set up last year to prevent desertification and tackle climate change in Northeast Asia. (Yonhap)