The government has expressed deep regret over North Korea’s denouncing of a speech by President Park Geun-hye at the UN General Assembly and for mentioning the possibility of scrapping planned reunions of separated families.
 
Unification Ministry Spokesman Jeong Joon-hee told reporters on Wednesday that the government is determined to push forward in establishing a foundation to advance inter-Korean ties and pursuing peaceful unification by thoroughly implementing agreements reached on August 25 during high-level inter-Korean talks.
 
Jeong then urged the North to immediately stop issuing unilateral claims, denunciations and threats and to focus instead on faithfully implementing the August 25 accords.
 
In particular, Jeong said the North should no longer ignore humanitarian issues, including the family reunions, for political or military reasons.

Earlier on Tuesday, the North’s Committee for the Peaceful Reunification of the Fatherland said that Park not only disgraced the dignity and system of the North but revealed an outright ambition to absorb the North under the guise of peaceful reunification in her UN speech. 
 
The committee added that Park's words were unacceptable provocations and thoughtless remarks that ruin recent improvements in South-North relations, adding that next month's family reunions are now in a precarious state.