The Unification Ministry says Seoul has spotted no unusual movements in North Korea.

Ministry spokesman Kim Ho-nyoun told a regular news briefing Thursday that the North Korean government is continuing to operate as usual.

The spokesman cited that Pyongyang sent a birthday telegram on behalf of Kim Jong-il to Syria’s President Bashar al-Assad on Wednesday, and North Korean top officials are attending the mass gymnastics performance "Arirang" as usual.

The spokesman said attention is being drawn to how Pyongyang responds to a South Korean civic group’s application for Pyongyang visits later this month.

About 110 members of the civic group sought a permit Wednesday for their trip to Pyongyang around September 20.