South Korea urges North Korea to stop slandering president

South Korea called on North Korea Monday to desist from slandering its chief executive, expressing deep regret over Pyongyang's recent criticism. Seoul's call comes after the North's Committee for the Peaceful Reunification of Korea (CPRK) criticized President Park Geun-hye by name over the weekend. "Seoul deeply regrets continued verbal attacks made by the North and strongly urges it to stop," unification ministry spokesman Kim Eui-do said. "Pyongyang should take a stance that can improve inter-Korean relations." The government had on numerous occasions said that criticizing the president and South Korean government will not contribute to better relations. Kim said that while the North has been increasing the level of attacks such actions are not new and may be due to the souring of relations. Since President Park took office in February, the North has attacked Park by name eight times, including the latest denunciation made by the CPRK. The North had unilaterally postponed family reunions for people separated by the 1950-53 Korean War that had been scheduled for the end of last month and had actively denounced joint military exercises conducted by South Korea. Such measures drew flak from the South and poured cold water on headway made in cross-border ties following the reopening of the Kaesong Industrial Complex last month. The factory park in the North was shut down in early April following a spike in tensions on the Korean Peninsula.