The Unification Ministry has again turned down a civic group’s request to travel to Pyongyang.

A youth group on implementing the June 15th South-North Joint Declaration said Tuesday that the ministry had rejected the group’s request to visit Pyongyang in light of current strained inter-Korean relations.

The youth group hoped to travel to the communist state from August 15th to the 18th and was planning to visit major cultural ruins and meet with its North Korean counterpart.

The group said it plans to strongly protest the ministry’s refusal.

The ministry’s decision comes shortly after it turned down a similar request by the Korean Teachers and Education Workers' Union.