North Korea has canceled its plan to send half a dozen officials to South Korea over the weekend to check out the venues for concerts around the Olympic Games next month. 

Unification Ministry in Seoul said that the North informed the South on Friday night that it would be cancelling the trip without explaining why. 

A seven-member advanced team led by Hyon Song-wol, head of the North's Samjiyon Orchestra, was initially scheduled to cross the border on Saturday to check out the concert venues in the South.

Unification Minister Cho Myoung-gyon on Saturday held a brief news conference, saying that the government has asked the North to clarify the reasons for canceling the visit. 

While sending the inquiry via the liaison office at the truce village, the South also told the North that it is prepared to assist the North Korean advanced team and the two sides can rearrange another trip. 

During working-level inter-Korean talks on Monday, North Korea had agreed to send a 140-member art troupe, including an orchestra, singers and dancers, to the South to stage concerts in Seoul and in the PyeongChang-Gangnueng region, where the Winter Games will be held.