Unification minister Kwon Young-se has voiced regret that North Korea remains unresponsive to regular daily communication with the South for the fifth straight day.

In a rare statement on Tuesday, Kwon said the government expresses strong regret over the North's unilateral and irresponsible conduct as its refusal to respond through the inter-Korean liaison office and military hotlines continued.

The two Koreas typically make contact twice daily, with the liaison office making calls at 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. and the military doing so at 9 a.m. and at 4 p.m.

Kwon also condemned the North’s unauthorized use of South Korean-built facilities inside the now-shuttered Gaeseong Industrial Complex, stating that it is a violation of related agreements between the two Koreas.

He said the government will take every possible measure to hold the North to account for the illegal activity, including legal action and cooperation with the international community. 

Kwon’s rebuke of the North’s activities comes after Pyongyang refused to accept Seoul's notice demanding an end to the unauthorized use last Thursday.

It is the first time in about ten years that the unification minister has issued a statement to the North. 

Regarding a military meeting presided over by North Korean leader Kim Jong-un on Monday, in which he was photographed pointing at a map of South Korea, the minister said the North has likely assessed that it is advantageous to raise tensions on the Korean Peninsula.