North Korea on Thursday rejected Seoul's proposal to hold talks on the release of a South Korean missionary detained in the communist country, Yonhap News Agency reported.
The North has been holding South Korean missionary Kim Jong-uk since November, accusing him of state subversion and espionage charges. Seoul has repeatedly called on the North to free and repatriate him, refusing Pyongyang's claims that he is a South Korea-sent intelligence agent.
In the latest appeal, Seoul proposed Tuesday through a faxed message that the two Koreas hold working-level talks over the issue on June 17, according to the South Korean Unification Ministry.
The North, however, refused the proposal in its response given to the South earlier in the day, the ministry said.
"Kim Jung-uk, under the mask of a missionary, illegally sneaked into our country to commit hostile anti-state acts, but was detected, arrested and punished in accordance with our law. So he's not subject to an argument," a North Korean official was quoted as saying.
Seoul is "very regretful" over the North's latest rejection, the ministry said, again calling on the country to "accept our suggestion."