South Korea says it has no plans to comment on North Korea’s claim that its artillery shelling of South Korea’s Yeonpyeong Island late last year was in retaliation for the firing of artillery by the South.

A Unification Ministry official in Seoul made the comment on Wednesday in regards to the claim made by the North’s National Defense Commission.

The official said that the North’s claim is not being construed as a changed stance on behalf of Pyongyang, which walked out of recently held working-level military talks with Seoul.

The official added that the ministry is not considering Wednesday’s announcement as being tied to the failed working-level military talks.