North Korea has apparently cancelled a rare visit by United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon to the reclusive Communist state. Reports pertain to the reclusive state's sudden retraction of an earlier approval for the high-profile state visit.
The U.N. Chief was slated to visit the Kaesong industrial complex, which is just a few minutes' drive north of the heavily fortified border between North and South Korea, according to ABC News.
"Early this morning, the authorities of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea informed us, through their diplomatic channels, that they were reversing their decision for me to visit the Kaesong industrial complex," the U.N. Chief stated in a speech forum in Seoul.
"No explanation was given for this last-minute change," he added.
The visit would have been a significant step forward in establishing relations with the Communist state, ABC News reported. It would have also led to a rare diplomatic opening amidst a tense standoff between North and South Korea.
Mr. Ban described the move by Pyongyang as "deeply regrettable," according to Reuters.
North Korea has issued a grave warning to the South earlier this month, threatening to initiate random attacks due to territorial tensions. The reclusive state has also reported that it has successfully test-fired a submarine-launched ballistic missile, despite grave warnings and overt prohibitions initiated by the U.N.
Mr. Ban was the South Korean foreign minister during the 2004-2006 period, which was a time of intense negotiations between the two Koreas that were intended to end the North's nuclear program, ABC News reported. The two countries reached an agreement on 2005, but the arrangement fell apart later on.
