PYONGYANG - The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) Sunday accused South Korean authorities of barring South Koreans from visiting DPRK to mourn late leader Kim Jong-il, the official news agency KCNA reported.

According to the KCNA, a spokesman of the Committee for the Peaceful Reunification of Korea (CPRK) said on Sunday that the South Korean authorities had not only prevented South Koreans from visiting the DPRK but also tried to justify their "unethical acts."

The South Korean authorities even talked about "separating north leadership from the inhabitants" to escalate confrontation with the DPRK and break the single-minded unity of the people in the DPRK, said the spokesman.

"The DPRK will never tolerate anyone checking mourners, branding them as top class criminals seriously insulting the supreme dignity of the DPRK," the spokesman stressed.

The spokesman urged the South Korean authorities to "bear in mind that their obstructions will entail unpredictable catastrophic consequences to the north-south relations."

The nation will finally test the morality of the South Korean authorities as well as the sincerity of their call for improvement of the north-south relations, the spokesman added.

The DPRK side has declared to accept condolatory groups and missions of the South Korean side and opened routes by land via Kaesong and by air. It also said that it would take measures to provide every convenience to the visitors and guarantee their safety.

The DPRK's late leader Kim Jong-il passed away during an inspection tour on December 17, 2011.