South Korea has expressed its regret to North Korea over the regime's decision to indefinitely postpone high-level inter-Korean talks that were set for Wednesday. 

Seoul's Unification Ministry says it sent a telephone message to Pyongyang expressing its regret on Wednesday afternoon, adding it also urged the North to swiftly come back to the negotiating table. 

The North sent a notice to the ministry shortly after midnight, informing Seoul it would not attend the talks aimed at discussing follow-up measures to the promises and agreements reached during last month's inter-Korean summit. 

North Korea cited the Max Thunder Air Force drills between South Korea and the U.S. as the reason for its decision. 

Earlier Wednesday, the Unification Ministry issued a statement expressing regret, saying the North’s unilateral postponement of the talks because of the annual military exercises goes against the fundamental spirit and objective of the Panmunjeom Declaration.