South Korea’s Unification Ministry has rejected an application by Rep. Park Jie-won of the main opposition New Politics Alliance for Democracy (NPAD) to visit the Gaeseong Industrial Complex on Wednesday.

A ministry official said Tuesday that the ministry made the decision in consideration of various factors, noting that Park visited the complex just last week.

Park visited the industrial park last Tuesday to deliver a wreath commemorating the North’s late leader Kim Jong-il on the occasion of the third anniversary of his death.

The ministry, however, approved plans to visit the North on Wednesday by officials of Hyundai Asan including Hyundai Group Chairman Hyun Jeong-eun, as well as officials of the Kim Dae-jung Peace Center.

Pyongyang on Friday invited the two groups to visit the complex, saying that Kim Yang-gon, head of the North Korean Workers' Party’s United Front Department, wished to extend his gratitude toward those who had sent their respects for the third anniversary of the death of Kim Jong-il.

The invitation came a few days after the Kim Dae-jung Peace Center and Hyundai Asan officials visited the factory park to deliver wreaths commemorating the anniversary.