SEOUL, Nov. 19 (Xinhua) -- South Korea on Wednesday reiterated its position that the door is open for inter-Korean talks if the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) becomes sincere toward the dialogue.
Unification Ministry spokesman Lim Byeong-cheol told a press briefing that if the DPRK scraps an unjustifiable call and takes sincere attitude toward the inter-Korean dialogue, South Korea will respond positively to any DPRK offer for the talks.
His comments came a day after Unification Minister Ryoo Kihl- jae repeated his stance that Seoul is willing to consult with Pyongyang about all the inter-Korean pending issues, including the resumption of Mount Kumgang tour, if the second round of high- level inter-Korean contact is held.
The second round of high-level inter-Korean talks, originally agreed to be held between late October and early November, was canceled as South Korean activists continued to float anti-DPRK leaflets via balloons across the border despite the DPRK's condemnation.
On Oct. 10, the two Koreas exchanged fire after a South Korean civic group floated balloons carrying leaflets that criticize the DPRK regime and its top leader Kim Jong Un.
People living in the border area strongly opposed the leaflet scattering as it escalated tensions. But the South Korean government failed to block the activity, saying it has no legal ground to regulate "freedom of speech."
On the resumption of tour to the Mount Kumgang resort in the DPRK's southeast coast, Lim said the issue is connected with the overall inter-Korean relations, noting that safety for tourists should be first resolved and a comprehensive review should be conducted to allay concerns over the tour resumption.
The tour, launched in 1998, was halted in July 2008 when a South Korean female tourist was shot dead by a DPRK soldier after venturing into an off-limit area.
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