内容摘要：By Park Si-sooNorth Korea abruptly called off a joint cultural event with South Korean artists ahead

By Park Si-soo

North Korea abruptly called off a joint cultural event with South Korean artists ahead of the forthcoming PyeongChang Winter Olympics, blaming Seoul's media for encouraging "insulting" public sentiment regarding the North, Seoul's unification ministry said on Monday.

In a telegram, the North said it was canceling the event planned to be held at Mount Gumgang on Feb. 4, the ministry said.

The ministry said in a statement issued Monday night: "The North, in the notice, said our press was fanning public opinion that insults the North's sincere efforts made for the PyeongChang Olympics, and even took issue with the North's internal celebratory event, leaving the North no choice but to cancel the agreed-upon event."

The "internal celebratory event" apparently refers to a military parade the North is expected to hold one day before the Olympics' opening ceremony or Feb. 8 to mark the 70th anniversary of its military.

The ministry said the North's cancelation was "very regrettable" and stressed Pyongyang should uphold all agreements made between North and South Korea.

The joint cultural event was to be part of a series of events to be held in the divided Koreas ahead of the Olympics.

Early in January, North and South Korea launched rare talks to bring North Koreans to the PyeongChang Winter Olympics after the North's leader Kim Jong-un said he was willing to open up discussions with Seoul.

The North has agreed to stage art performances and taekwondo demonstrations in the South to commemorate its participation in the Olympics. The two Koreas had been in discussions regarding final details over the joint performance. They were also talking about a different concert in South Korea by a North Korean orchestra and sending South Korean athletes to train at a North Korean ski resort.

Many local news outlets here, however, have voiced concerns over the joint events in that they may be in violation of U.N. Security Council sanctions currently in place against the communist North for its military provocations, including six nuclear tests.