South Korea expressed deep regret Thursday that North Korea has lashed out at Seoul for hurting the North's dignity over the South's move to publish state history textbooks.

South Korea has recently unveiled its plan to reintroduce state history textbooks for middle and high school students starting in 2017, to address what it calls left-leaning content in the current books.

The North has voiced up its criticism against the South's move, claiming that conservative forces in South Korea are malignantly slandering the "dignity and social system" of North Korea in a bid to justify its move.

"The government voiced strong regret as North Korea tries to intervene in South Korea's national affairs," said an official at the Unification Ministry, asking not to be made. "North Korea should immediately stop its anachronistic acts."

South Korean supporters for state history books said that some history textbooks issued by private publishers paint North Korean ideologies in a positive light.

But critics and opposition lawmakers said that the government's decision is reminiscent of the days of Yushin authoritarian rule under the administration of President Park Chung-hee in the 1970s, the father of President Park Geun-hye.

The official said North Korea should refrain from driving a wedge among South Koreans by further arousing the textbook history row.

Under an inter-Korean deal in 1992, South and North Korea agreed not to interfere with each other's internal affairs, he added. (Yonhap)