North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has formally rejected an invitation from South Korean President Moon Jae-in to attend an ASEAN event in Busan next week, the DPRK’s Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said Thursday.

In a commentary titled “There is a time and a place for everything,” the unsigned KCNA article said that Kim Jong Un appreciated a letter sent by Moon on November 5, but that his “reliance” upon the U.S. is an obstacle that cannot be overcome at present.

The commentary started and ended with a diplomatic and friendly tone towards President Moon, but also harshly criticized