South Korea has expressed regret over Pyongyang placing the blame on Seoul for Thursday’s failed talks on the Incheon Asian Games and called for the North to take on a sincere attitude.
 
A South Korean government official said Friday that the North is making an absurd claim saying that South Korean negotiators were following instructions from the presidential office.
 
The official said during Thursday’s talks, Seoul told Pyongyang that it should abide by global practices and tournament regulations regarding the participation of its athletes and cheering squad in the Asian Games.
 
He said the South conveyed that the accommodations for the North's athletes and cheering squad will be reviewed based on international customs. The South also noted it would be better for the cheering team to refrain from using a large North Korean flag for safety reasons.
 
The official said the North Korean delegation then abruptly walked out of the meeting and distorted the South's efforts to confirm necessary logistical details.
 
Earlier, the North's official Korean Central News Agency said the South's stance on the size of the cheering squad and its proposal that the North should pay the expenses during the Asian Games were "unreasonable." The report said that if Seoul’s stance does not change, the North will reconsider its decision to take part in the Incheon Asian Games.