The government is reportedly trying to figure out the intent behind North Korea's recent uncooperative attitude toward inter-Korean exchanges.

Pyongyang effectively cancelled on Monday a ceremony to mark the opening of a hospital in the North's city of Gaesong by failing to issue invitations to South Koreans officials and doctors. Some one hundred people from the South were scheduled to attend the opening ceremony.

Pyongyang also asked Seoul to delay its planned provision of 20,000 tons of charcoal briquettes to Gaesong residents and to put off follow-up talks on building communications networks for South Korean companies operating at the Gaesong industrial complex.

Some South Korean sectors are voicing worries that the North's attitude might affect the industrial project itself.

Unification Ministry officials announced that the Ministry is trying to determine the reasons for the North's attitude and expressed hope that the inter-Korean economic project at Gaesong would not be affected.

North Korea has recently complained that Seoul is intentionally dragging its feet on the project at the request of Washington, which is seriously concerned about the North's nuclear weapons program.