N Korea scraps North-South family reunions

The North's Red Cross chief, Jang Jae-On, slammed South Korea for "abusing the humanitarian issue for meeting its sinister purpose to serve the outsiders."

"Our side is, therefore, of the view that it has become impossible to hold any discussion related to humanitarian issues, to say nothing of arranging any reunion between separated families and relatives between the two sides," he said in a letter to South Korea.

At inter-Korean ministerial talks last week, South Korea urged the defiant communist country to give an assurance that it would stop test-firing any more missiles and return to six-party talks on its nuclear weapons program.

But North Korea refused to budge, insisting Washington should first remove financial sanctions imposed on it for alleged money-laundering and counterfeiting.

In response South Korea, the biggest donor to the impoverished North, refused to discuss further humanitarian aid until a breakthrough is made on the missile and nuclear issues.

North Korean delegates issued an angry statement at the time warning of "disastrous" consequences for relations.

South Korea's Red Cross chief Han Wan-Sang expressed strong regret over North Korea's "disappointing" decision to scrap the reunions.