The United States declined comment Tuesday on whether North Korea's expression of regret in a peace agreement with South Korea can be seen as an apology for its planting of landmines that maimed two South Korean soldiers.

"What's important is that this was first and foremost an agreement between North and South and that President Park (Geun-hye) found acceptable the expression made by the North," State Department spokesman John Kirby said at a regular press briefing.

"I don't think it would be appropriate for me here at the U.S. State Department to weigh in and try to characterize the difference between the word regret and apology," he said.

North Korea's expression of regret over the landmine provocation was a key part of the landmark agreement. South Korea viewed the expression as a de-facto apology and halted anti-Pyongyang propaganda broadcasts along the border in return.

But critics said it is difficult to accept the expression as an apology.

"The important thing is that they came to an agreement and that we now have an opportunity for the tensions to be decreased and we're starting to see that happening now," Kirby said. "I think we still have a couple of more days here to take a hard look at this, but that's the most important thing -- that dialogue brought about an agreement to decrease the tensions."

Kirby said the U.S. will continue to monitor how the agreement is carried out.

"As I said yesterday, action speaks louder than words. So we have to kind of see how this plays out," he said. (Yonhap)