An official at Seoul's Unification Ministry has expressed regret over North Korea’s decision not to participate in the 2015 Gwangju Summer Universiade.
 
The South Korean official on Tuesday addressed the North's reasons for not joining the games, including its opposition to the planned opening of a UN field office on North Korean human rights in Seoul.
 
Stressing that human rights must be addressed separately from social, cultural and sports exchanges, the official said Seoul has worked to substantially improve human rights in North Korea and set up the UN field office as part of those efforts and at the request of the international community.
 
The field office will open in the Seoul Global Center in Jongno district in downtown Seoul on Tuesday. 
 
Last Saturday, the North sent an email to the sports event’s organizing committee, saying it cannot participate in the Universiade citing the planned opening of the UN office and the South's military policies.