North Korea's band had dispute over ideology

SEOUL, Dec. 15 (UPI) -- North Korea lodged a complaint about the South's discussion of Pyongyang's human rights record during the most recent inter-Korea talks that ended without a joint statement.

Seoul's Unification Minister Hong Yong-pyo said Tuesday North Korean negotiators expressed a "sharp reaction" to the ongoing discussion of a North Korean Human Rights Act in South Korea's National Assembly, Yonhap reported.

"It is my understanding the [North Koreans] have mentioned that the human rights issue and other topics were damaging the atmosphere of dialogue," Hong said before lawmakers.

But on Tuesday North Korea's KCNA issued a statement that blamed the South for the breakdown in talks.

"South Korean authorities wrecked the North-South dialogue and threw away an opportunity to improve relations. They can never be free of that responsibility," Pyongyang said.

North Korea also said the South tried to raise the "nuclear issue," which made the South Koreans the target of the North's criticisms.

The North Korean Human Rights Act is creating a schism between South Korean lawmakers. News 1 reported opposition party parliamentarians did not attend a meeting on the law, and ruling party lawmakers said their absence could add to growing international criticism of South Korea.

North Korea's Kim Jong Un has been described as "unpredictable," and the country's all-female Moranbong Band canceled its weeklong "friendship" tour after a dispute rose between Beijing and Pyongyang.

Free North Korea Radio reported Tuesday the band's leader, Hyon Song Wol, was mainly responsible for the decision to cancel and confirmed previous reports the dispute centered on North Korean ideology and Kim idolization.

Chinese officials had expressed concern over the propaganda content of Moranbong songs and had allegedly said, "The Chinese people already know enough about North Korea."

Hyon reportedly disagreed and said every aspect of the concert was created under Kim's guidance and could not be altered. A Chinese official then said North Korea needs to learn from China's example and that Kim has been referred to the International Criminal Court, comments that sealed Hyon's decision to leave, according to FNK Radio's source.