SEOUL, Jan. 28 (Xinhua) -- South Korea's unification ministry criticized Friday a statement issued earlier in the day by the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), calling it " propaganda offensive" that is "unhelpful" in mending strained ties between the two Koreas.
In a statement carried by the Korean Central News Agency, Pyongyang's Central Committee of the Democratic Front for the Reunification of the Fatherland said the government here is blocking inter-Korean dialogues and civilian exchanges and urged talks between legislators of the two sides.
Calling the committee's claims "arbitrary," unification spokesman Chun Hae-sung told reporters in a press briefing that such claims would not help improve frayed inter-Korean relations.
"The government believes that the continuation of this kind of hackneyed propaganda offensive does not show sincerity" on the part of the DPRK, as the two estranged Koreas are currently discussing holding a preliminary meeting to discuss high-level military talks, Chun said.
South Korea suggested earlier this week holding a preparatory working-level meeting on Feb. 11 in the border village of Panmunjom to discuss high-level military talks over pending military issues.
The issues include the sinking of a South Korean warship blamed on Pyongyang and Pyongyang's shelling attack on an inhabited South Korean border island, which altogether killed 50 South Koreans. The DPRK has denied its responsibility for the sinking and claimed the attack was a self-defensive measure against a military drill by Seoul and Washington near a disputed maritime border.
Seoul also recently proposed separate inter-Korean talks aimed at confirming Pyongyang's commitment to ending its nuclear program. Pyongyang has yet to officially respond.
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DPRK urges South Korea to stop slandering DPRK
PYONGYANG, Jan. 27 (Xinhua) -- The official Rodong Sinmun newspaper of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) issued an article on Thursday urging South Korea to immediately stop slandering and committing provocative acts deepening misunderstanding and mistrust and inciting confrontation and hostility between the north and the south.
According to the Rodong Sinmun, authorities and the ultra-right conservative media of South Korea have slandered the DPRK's proposal for dialogue. That,the Rodong Sinmun said, has been a main cause of deteriorating north-south relations and is not a proper approach toward dialogue. Full story
S. Korea proposes holding preparatory military talks with DPRK next month
SEOUL, Jan. 26 (Xinhua) -- South Korea proposed Wednesday holding a meeting on Feb. 11 with the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) in the border village of Panmunjom to prepare for high-level inter-Korean military talks, the defense ministry here said.
The country also proposed separate inter-Korean talks aimed at confirming Pyongyang's commitment to ending its nuclear program, according to the ministry. Full story
