SEOUL, July 1 (Xinhua) -- South Korea's Unification Ministry in charge of inter-Korean affairs refused Tuesday a proposal of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) to stop all military hostilities from Friday, saying it lacked sincerity.
"North Korea (the DPRK) made a proposal lacking sincerity yesterday, while putting in an absurd assertion that we are held responsible for soured inter-Korean relations and mounting military tensions between the two Koreas,"the ministry said in a statement.
The DPRK's nuclear and missile developments have been a fundamental threat to peace and future on the Korean Peninsula, the ministry said, noting it was absurd for the DPRK to touch on peaceful atmosphere in its proposal while claiming its right to the nuclear development.
The DPRK proposed in January to stop slandering each other, to which South Korea agreed, but Pyongyang broke the agreement first and made vehement swipes at President Park Geun-hye, the ministry said.
The two Koreas agreed in February to stop slandering each other at the first high-level talks in about seven years, but the DPRK resumed slanderous comments on Park in recent months, calling her" despicable prostitute"and U.S. President Barack Obama a "pimp"to her.
The ministry added that if the DPRK really wants peace on the Korean Peninsula, it should first stop slandering and posing provocative threats to South Korea, while showing its authenticity in solving the nuclear issue, a major threat to peace on the Korean Peninsula.
The refusal came a day after the National Defense Commission, the DPRK's top military body, suggested South Korea scrap this year's Ulchi Freedom Guardian (UFG) military exercise between Seoul and Washington to create a better atmosphere for the upcoming Asian Games in Incheon, South Korea.
Unification Minister Ryoo Kihl-jae told lawmakers earlier that" there is something hard to accept actually"in the DPRK's overture, referring to the annual command and control military exercises between the two allies slated for August.
The 17th Asian Games will be held in the South Korea's western port city of Incheon from Sept. 19 to Oct. 4. The DPRK expressed its willingness in late May to participate in the multisport event.
Pyongyang has repeatedly called for South Korea not to carry out such joint military drills with the United States, calling them a rehearsal for a northward invasion.
Despite the continued request, Seoul and Washington conducted the"Key Resolve" command post exercise and the "Foal Eagle" field training drill from late February to April.
The DPRK's top military body also proposed both sides stop all military hostilities against each other from July 4, which marks the 42nd anniversary of the issuance of the July 4 North-South Joint Statement, a historic document stating a set of principles agreed by the two Koreas to achieve reunification.
Ryoo said that the DPRK's overture Monday was roughly in line with those the North has suggested since January despite some differences in its form, noting it was the DPRK that resumed slandering.
The DPRK listed independence, peaceful reunification and great national unity as three main principles to improve inter-Korean relations. The three principles were mentioned in the July 4 inter- Korean statement.
Tensions were running high on the Korean Peninsula after the DPRK threatened a new form of nuclear test in late March. The DPRK ' s third nuclear test was conducted in February 2013.
The DPRK fired some 90 short-range missiles in late February and March in protest against the joint military drills between Seoul and Washington.
The two Koreas exchanged artillery shells in the disputed western sea border on May 22, some two months after trading hundreds of artillery shells in late March.
The DPRK launched two Scud missiles, which flew 500 km, into its east waters on June 29 after test-firing three tactical guided missiles on June 27, the South Korean military said.
PYONGYANG, June 30 (Xinhua) -- The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) has proposed that the two neighbors on the Korean Peninsula stop all military hostilities against each other starting Friday.
The National Defense Commission of the DPRK made the surprise suggestion in a statement where it listed independence, peaceful reunification and great national unity as the three main principles for improving relations with South Korea, the official KCNA news agency reported Monday. Full story
SEOUL/PYONGYANG, June 29 (Xinhua) -- The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) on Sunday fired two short-range ballistic missiles into waters off its east coast early Sunday morning, the South Korean military said.
The news came just three days after Seoul reported that the DPRK fired three short-range projectiles into waters off South Korea's eastern coast at a time when tensions were running high on the Korean Peninsula.Full story
|
