Seoul's Unification Ministry says that South Korea has sent a telephone message to North Korea and expressed regret for Pyongyang's cancellation of a joint cultural event scheduled to be held at the North's Mount Geumgang on Sunday.

A ministry official told reporters that the government also said that inter-Korean agreements must be implemented by all means based on the spirit of mutual understanding and respect as the two Koreas have taken the first difficult step to improve relations.

The official said the South also conveyed to the North that all agreed events should be carried out as planned as the two sides have agreed to cooperate for the success of the PyeongChang Winter Olympics and Paralympic Games.

The message signed by Unification Minister Cho Myoung-gyon was sent around noon Tuesday to Ri Son-gwon, chairman of the North's Committee for the Reunification of the Fatherland, a state agency handling inter-Korean affairs.

North Korea abruptly called off the scheduled joint event on Monday night after taking issue with South Korean media reports.