The tender deadline is Wednesday, Oct. 17.

Price offers were sought for two possible shipment consignments both of 60,000 tonnes. NOFI told traders it intends to purchase only one of the consignments, but some traders said the purchase of both could not be ruled out.

Shipment of the first consignment was sought between Jan. 13 and Feb. 1, 2019, if sourced from the US Pacific Northwest Coast, Australia or Canada; between Dec. 24, 2018 and Jan. 12, 2019, if from the US Gulf or east Europe; and between Dec. 19, 2018 and Jan. 7, 2019, if from South America. The consignment should arrive in Korea around Feb. 15, 2019.

Shipment of the second consignment was sought between Jan. 23 and Feb. 11, 2019, if sourced from the US Pacific Northwest Coast, Australia or Canada; between Jan. 3 and Jan. 22, 2019, if from the US Gulf or east Europe; and between Dec. 29, 2018 and Jan. 17, 2019, if from South America. The consignment should arrive in Korea around Feb. 25, 2019.

Wheat from Argentina, Pakistan, India and Denmark may not be offered in the tender, traders said.

NOFI also issued a separate tender on Tuesday to buy animal feed meals.

South Korea's major grain importers have been largely absent from the global market since mid September because of the holiday period in the Asian country.