North Korea's decision to postpone the long-awaited reunion of families separated during the Korean War was announced on state tv.
It said conservative forces in the South were using the meetings to create confrontation.
The abrupt postponement came just days before the start of the reunion, the first in three years.
South Korea's unification ministry spokesman condemned the decision as inhumane.
(SOUNDBITE)(Korean) SOUTH KOREAN UNIFICATION MINISTRY SPOKESMAN KIM EUI-DO SAYING:
"North Korea should be criticised for its inhumane behaviour that has broken the hearts of all families separated by the war, and South Koreans," (HE SAID). "Above all, it cannot be justified that North Korea has decided to postpone humanitarian family reunions for political reasons."
Whatever the reasoning behind the postponement it'll come as a bitter blow to families torn apart since the war of the 1950s.
