South Korea expresses regret over North Korea restricting inter-Korean programs

Seoul, Nov.24 : South Korea on Monday expressed "serious regret" over North Korea's decision to restrict inter-Korean economic cooperation programs.

North Korea announced early in the day that it will suspend tourist program to its border city of Kaesong, shut border-crossings for economic cooperation and trade, halt the inter-Korean rail service and decrease South Korean manpower at the joint industrial complex at Kaesong from December 1.

"The North's behavior of restricting and halting economic cooperation, which is meaningful to improving inter-Korean relations, constitutes a grave incident that would practically reverse the relations," Xinhua quoted Kim Ho-nyoun, a spokesman for the Unification Ministry, as saying in a statement.

"The government will be firm with its position to develop inter-Korean relations, and is calling on the North to come to dialogue with South Korea," he added.

According to local media, the South Korean government convened an emergency meeting to discuss counter-measures to North Korea's announcement.

ANI