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A South Korean advance team reviews the Mt. Kumgang Cultural Center on Jan. 23. The venue was to be used for an inter-Korean cultural performance next week before North Korea abruptly announced the event was being cancelled due to libelous stories in the South Korean media. (provided by Unification Ministry)

North Korea abruptly notified the South that it was cancelling the joint cultural event they had agreed to hold at Mount Kumgang to celebrate the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics. This brings inter-Korean relations, which have been showing signs of improvement recently, to a crucial crossroads.

South Korea’s Unification Ministry said that Ri Son-gwon, chair of North Korea’s Committee for the Peaceful Reunification of the Fatherland, sent a message via the communication channel at Panmunjeom at 10:10 pm on Jan. 29 calling off the inter-Korean cultural event that was supposed to be held at Mount Kumgang on Feb. 4.

North Korea reportedly said it was left with no choice but to cancel the planned effect because parts of the South Korean media were continuing to agitate public opinion by slandering the sincere measures taken by North Korea in regard to the Pyeongchang Olympics and also taking issue with an “internal celebratory event.”

The “internal celebratory event” mentioned by North Korea would appear to be the military parade commemorating the 70th anniversary of the foundation of the North Korean People’s Army (KPA), which is scheduled for Feb. 8, the day before the opening ceremony of the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics. The South Korean press reported indications detected by American commercial satellites that North Korea was rehearsing a large-scale military parade at Mirim Airport outside Pyongyang to commemorate military foundation day.

“We think it’s very regrettable that an event agreed upon by South and North Korea was unilaterally cancelled by the North. We emphasize the necessity of implementing matters agreed upon through a spirit of mutual respect and understanding by both South and North Korea, now that the first step has finally been taken to improve inter-Korean relations,” said a senior official from South Korea’s Unification Ministry.

By Jung In-hwan, staff reporter

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