Seoul, Jul 21 (IANS): North Korea is yet to officially respond to South Korea's offer of military talks, Seoul's Defence Ministry said in a statement on Friday.

The statement added this has made it difficult to "to open the talks today (Friday)", and added the offer is still on the table, reports Efe news.

It urged Pyongyang to respond as soon as possible to ease growing tension on the Korean peninsula and reopening military channels of communication between the two countries.

Earlier this week, Seoul had proposed both countries hold military talks on July 21, the first in almost three years, to defuse rising tension on the Korean Peninsula and also suggested a meeting of Red Cross delegations on August 1 to resume the reunions between families, separated by the Korean War (1950-1953).

Although the North is yet to formally respond to the proposal, it has said through its state media that dialogue will be of no use as long as Seoul maintains its confrontational policy toward the Kim Jong-un regime, including close ties with the US.

"Ditching confrontation and hostility is a precondition for opening the door for the two Koreas' reconciliation and unity," an editorial in the country's main daily Rodong Sinmun had said Thursday.