South Korea has asked North Korea for an explanation on why it suspended a planned visit to the South by a North Korean team to inspect venues for concerts to be held around the Olympic Games next month.

Seoul's Unification Minister Cho Myoung-gyon said that a message was sent to the North via the Panmunjeom border village communications channel around 11:20 a.m. Saturday asking for the reason why the trip was cancelled.

North Korea abruptly called off the scheduled visit at 10 p.m. Friday without giving an explanation. The advance team was to be led by Hyon Song-wol, head of the North's Samjiyon Orchestra.

During a briefing at the Unification Ministry, Minister Cho also said that South Korea conveyed the stance that the two sides can reschedule the visit as Seoul is fully prepared for the North Korean cultural inspection team's arrival and activities in South Korea.

The minister stressed that Seoul also told Pyongyang that other schedules should be carried out as agreed to including sending a South Korean advance team to the North to prepare for a joint cultural event at Mount Geumgang and for joint training sessions of the two Koreas' ski athletes at a North Korean ski resort.