The surprise cancellation on Wednesday of planned talks this week between U.S. Secretary of State and his North Korean counterpart Kim Yong Chol was initiated by the DPRK side, South Korea's foreign minister told lawmakers on Thursday.

The U.S. State Department announced yesterday that a planned meeting between Secretary Pompeo and Kim, due to take place the following day in New York, had been postponed and would be reconvened "when our respective schedules permit."