The South Korean government was to be blamed for chilling the inter-Korean relations, the official KCNA news agency quoted a statement issued by a reunification organization of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) as saying on Thursday.

"The deteriorated inter-Korean relations are entirely attributable to the sycophancy and treachery and anti-DPRK confrontation pursued by the Lee Myung Bak group," the National Reunification Institute (NRI) said in an "indictment."

The South Korean government unilaterally stopped the tour of Mt. Kumgan, selectively restricted visits to the DPRK and imposed provocation against the system of the DPRK, all of which caused worsening relations between the two Koreas, the NRI said.

It warned that "extreme crisis will happen" if South Korea does not drop its hostile policy against the DPRK.

Relations between Pyongyang and Seoul have turned sour since February when conservative president Lee Myung Bak took office pledging to get tough with the DPRK. The DPRK has cut off all official contacts with South Korea.

(Xinhua News Agency December 25,2008)