The South Korean Committee for Implementing the June 15 Joint Declaration is criticizing the government for rejecting North Korea's proposal to jointly hold an event marking the 13th anniversary of the inter-Korean declaration’s signing.

The South Korean committee said in a news conference Tuesday that the government squandered a good chance to resume inter-Korean dialogue, urging the governments of the two Koreas to begin discussions on holding a joint commemorative event in Gaeseong in North Korea.

The committee added it plans to discuss holding the joint event with the government again after checking if the North is really sincere about the proposal.

The committee sent a fax message to its North Korean counterpart on Tuesday, proposing a working-level contact to prepare for the joint event as soon as possible.

On Monday, the Unification Ministry rejected Pyongyang’s proposal to hold the joint event in the North Korean city of Gaeseong. Ministry spokesman Kim Hyung-seok said Seoul is dubious of the intention behind the proposal by North Korea, which has been refusing to hold government-level talks with the South over the Gaeseong Industrial Complex.