The Unification Ministry voiced regret Tuesday over North Korea's boycott of the upcoming Summer Universiade on South Korean soil due to political reasons.

The North has notified the South that it has withdrawn its earlier plan to send 75 athletes and 33 officials to the sports competition in the southern city of Gwangju in July in protest against the scheduled opening in Seoul of a U.N. field-office on North Korea's human rights conditions.

The U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights was set to open its office in Seoul later in the day which will be tasked with monitoring the human rights situation in the North.

"It is regrettable that North Korea has made such a decision due to political reasons even though sports events should be handled from the perspective of non-political exchanges," the official said, asking not to be named.

North Korea has threatened to retaliate against South Korea over the U.N.'s plan to open the office, saying it will "mercilessly punish" South Korea by mobilizing all means possible.

The North's abysmal human rights records were highlighted last year when the U.N. General Assembly adopted a landmark resolution calling for the Security Council to refer the issue to the International Criminal Court.

North Korea has long been labeled one of the world's worst human rights violators, but it has bristled at such criticism, calling it a U.S.-led attempt to topple its regime.

"North Korea should not lodge a protest against or criticize Seoul for the issue, but it should cooperate with the global community to improve its human rights conditions," the official said. (Yonhap)