SEOUL, South Korea (AP) " South Korea is reviewing whether to meet North Korea's request that Seoul provide fuel to the ferry that transported more than a hundred North Korean artists to the South to participate in performances marking the Pyeongchang Olympics.

Seoul's Unification Ministry spokesman Baik Tae-hyun said on Wednesday that North Korea asked the South to supply fuel for the Mangyongbong-92. He refused to confirm how much fuel the North wants. It's also unclear how long the ferry will stay.

Providing the fuel would be a difficult decision for Seoul.

North Korea's decision to transport its artists by sea has triggered heated reaction in the South, where conservatives saw the move as a sure-fire sign the North is trying to use the Olympics to weaken U.S.-led sanctions and pressure against the country.