She was responding to criticism that the North Koreans might have been given a chance to catch a glimpse of a number of military operation zones and facilities, especially by crossing the Imjin River over the bridge built in 1984 by the military and local administrative authorities.

The bridge is situated just south of the demilitarized zone in a region defended by the South Korean Army's First Division. Local residents sometimes use the bridge, and it's also open to civilians who receive prior approval.

Route 372 is an ordinary road, not a military or tactical one, the ministry added.

In the meantime, close to 300 North Korean athletes, supporters and reporters returned home on Monday via the Tongil Bridge, which serves as the gateway for most overland inter-Korean trips. The PyeongChang Games finished the previous day.

Keen attention is being paid to the schedule for the annual combined military drills of South Korea and the United States.

The allies postponed the Key Resolve and Foal Eagle exercises until after the end of the PyeongChang Paralympics on April 18.

The North has long called for a halt to the training, arguing it brings the peninsula to the brink of another war.

Conservatives here are worried that the liberal Moon Jae-in administration may seek to scale down or suspend the exercises in a bid to maintain the momentum of Olympics-driven rapprochement with the North.

"There's no review (of our position) on North Korea's demand," Army Col. Roh Jae-cheon, spokesman for the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told reporters. "We will push for the drills as planned." (Yonhap)