Unification Minister Chung Dong-young says the recent lull in inter-Korean relations stem from North Korea's misunderstandings of recent events.

As examples, Chung cited the mass arrival of North Korean defectors to the South last month, and the Seoul government's recent refusal to allow its citizens to travel to the North for the tenth anniversary of former North Korean leader Kim Il-sung's death.

Concerning the arrival of the defectors, Chung denied North Korea's claim that Seoul had intentionally orchestrated such a mass arrival, saying it had only accepted the defectors roaming in third countries out of humanitarian considerations.

Chung also asked Seoul-based civic groups supporting North Korean defectors to refrain from overzealous efforts in their humanitarian activities - including helping potential defectors plan their escapes from the North - as it would cause further friction between the two Koreas.

Chung made his comments in an interview on Sunday.