Seoul will provide a North Korean art troupe arriving in South Korea by ferry on Tuesday with food, oil and electricity.

A Unification Ministry official told reporters that amenities will be provided to the North based on the precedence of the 2002 Asian Games in Busan in which the North also took part. 

The Mangyongbong-92 carrying the North Korean performers crossed the East Sea maritime border Tuesday morning and is scheduled to arrive at South Korea's Mukho port in the eastern city of Donghae around 5 p.m.

The art troupe plans to use the vessel as their accommodation while in South Korea for performances to mark the PyeongChang Olympics. 

The official noted that the ferry's entry does not violate unilateral sanctions by the U.S. imposed on Pyongyang, stressing this was confirmed and checked with Washington.

Its entry violates Seoul's sanctions against the North, but the government decided to make an exception for the Mangyongbong-92 in a move to support the country's successful hosting of the PyeongChang Olympics.