A South Korean humanitarian affairs support group has delayed plans to visit North Korea amid rumors that North Korean leader Kim Jong-il is suffering health problems.

Around 110 members of Peace 3000 were planning to travel to the communist state for four days starting Thursday to take a tour of a tofu factory in Pyongyang. However, the North asked the group to delay their travel plans for sometime after September 26th.

An official from the support group said the North notified them by fax late Tuesday. Pyongyang said it requested the delay because it had failed to make related preparations due to the Chuseok holidays and ceremonies marking the 60th anniversary of the North’s founding.

In the fax, the North asked that the South Korean group not link the delay request with rumors of Kim Jong-il's health.

Peace 3000 says it will seek to visit the North on or after September 27th.