Unification Minister Jeong Se-hyun warns that inter-Korean relations may go into a prolonged lull if North Korea chooses to exploit South Korea's impeachment crisis.

Speaking before a National Assembly panel, Jeong said Pyongyang may also seek to fuel anti-U.S. and anti-right wing sentiments among its nationals to strengthen its regime.

Even while Jeong was speaking to lawmakers at the National Assembly, North Korea proposed postponing the next round of working-level economic talks until early next month.

The three-day talks were set to take place Wednesday in Gaesong in the North. The two sides had planned to discuss re-linking cross-border roads and railways and joint efforts to prevent flooding along the Imjin river, which flows southward across the inter-Korean border.

In a telephone message delivered to the South at the border village of Panmunjom, North Korea cited the ongoing South Korea-U.S. joint military exercises as reasons for the postponement of the talks.

But North Korea said it would go ahead with the 9th round of family reunions scheduled from March 29 to April 3 at the Mt. Geumgang resort in the North.