North Korea has expressed its reluctance to hold inter-Korean civilian events to mark National Foundation Day in early October, a Seoul civic group said Tuesday.
  

The North has said that it would be difficult to have joint events to celebrate the holiday, which falls on Oct. 3, as it is busy preparing for its own key national anniversary, according to the South's preparatory committee for the event.
  

North Korea is focusing on preparations for the 70th anniversary of the founding of its ruling Workers' Party which falls on Oct. 10.
  

The two Koreas reached a landmark deal on Aug. 25 that calls for the expansion of inter-Korean civilian exchanges, but there has been no noticeable movement amid the North's lukewarm attitude.
  

The South group earlier proposed sending groups of people from the two Koreas to each other's capitals for joint events, but it faced opposition from its northern counterpart.
  

It later proposed sending a smaller number of people to the North, but North Korea has not yet replied, according to an official at the South's preparatory group.
  

In 1993, the North claimed to have discovered a royal tomb of Dangun in Pyongyang, the legendary founder of Gojoseon, the first Korean kingdom. Since 1995, the North has held an event to mark National Foundation Day.
  

South and North Korea held joint celebratory events in 2002, 2003 and 2005. Last year, a group of South Koreans visited Pyongyang to take part in the North's celebration.
  

The North has recently made missile and nuclear threats as it vowed to launch satellites near its anniversary, which outside analysts view as a cover for ballistic missile tests. Pyongyang has also hinted at conducting a fourth nuclear test. (Yonhap)