North Korea says it retracted an invitation to a South Korean civic delegation for the 60th anniversary celebration of the North's ruling Workers' Party because of too many visitors from the South.

An official from the South's preparatory committee on the 2000 inter-Korean declaration on Friday quoted his North Korean counterpart as expressing regret over the cancellation that abruptly came Tuesday.

In a Thursday working-level meeting in Gaesong, the North Korean official said many South Korean tourists are in the North to watch the Arirang mass performance, thus inviting the delegation was difficult.