North Korea refused to accept South Korea's notice calling for an end to the unauthorized use of facilities inside the now-shuttered Gaeseong Industrial Complex which was built by South Korea and its companies.

An official from the unification ministry said on Thursday that Pyongyang refused to receive the message at 10 a.m. after the two Koreas initiated their routine morning contact through their liaison offices an hour earlier.

The notice said Pyongyang's operation of plants inside the complex owned by South Korean companies without prior consent is a clear infringement of property rights, the two Koreas' previous pact on the guarantee of investments, and the North's laws on the complex.

Seoul warned that necessary steps will be taken should Pyongyang fail to respond to its call for an immediate suspension, without further elaboration.

The official said the ministry has repeatedly detected a consistent entry and exit of vehicles, personnel, and supplies and that Seoul has decided to send the latest notice as it could no longer overlook such illegalities.