The Unification Ministry expressed regret over North Korea’s decision not to take part in this year’s Tokyo Olympics.

A ministry official said on Tuesday that Seoul had hoped the upcoming Summer Games would provide an opportunity for peace on the Korean Peninsula and to advance inter-Korean cooperation and reconciliation. 

The official stressed that the government will continue to seek out opportunities in various fields, including sports, to push forward peace and cooperation, citing previous experiences via exchanges in sports.

The comments came hours after a website run by North Korea's Sports Ministry announced that the country will not participate in this year's Olympics to protect the safety of its athletes from the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.