Pyongyang has requested Seoul to postpone the 18th round of inter-Korean ministerial talks until next month.

The Unification Ministry says North Korea's chief delegate Kwon Ho-woong contacted Unification Minister Lee Jong-seok via telephone Saturday, asking to move the meeting to an appropriate time in April.

The talks were initially scheduled to take place late this month in Pyongyang.

As for the reason for its request, Pyongyang cited Seoul and Washington’s joint military exercise scheduled for the end of this month.