PRAGUE, Wednesday 11 August 2010 (AFP) - The Czech Republic is pondering forgiving part of cash-strapped North Korea's debt in exchange for ginseng, known as a health tonic and male aphrodisiac, the finance ministry said on Wednesday.

"At a working meeting we asked them for some goods, and one of the options was ginseng imports -- though it was not an official offer from their side," Czech deputy finance minister Tomas Zidek told AFP.

The Czech daily Dnes recently wrote that North Korea had proposed to ship the exotic root to pay five percent of the 186 million koruna (7.5 million euros, 9.7 million dollars) debt from past supplies of Czech trams and machines.

But it said the sum corresponded to about 20 tonnes of ginseng, while Czechs annually consume just 1.4 tonnes of ginseng believed to combat lethargy, arthritis, impotence and senility among other conditions.

Still, Zidek maintains that the idea has potential.

"Based on the story in the press, we had calls from dealers willing to trade ginseng so it would be good business for the state," he said.