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S.Korea dismisses N.Korea calls for talks as “insincere”
South Korea has dismissed as “insincere” calls for “unconditional talks” by North Korea as it waits for its northern rival to apologise for two deadly attacks that have been blamed on Pyongyang.
The North’s calls for talks come as an apparent bid to put an end to months of tensions between the two countries – sparked by an artillery strike on Yeonpyeong Island on 23 November that killed marines and civilians.
The uncharacteristic call for talks from North Korea came as the US envoy on the North was in the region to discuss the standoff. Earlier on Wednesday, Stephen Bosworth sought to calm fears of conflict on the peninsula.
Tensions between the two Koreas have been at their highest level in years North Korea’s artillery strike on the South Korean-held island near their disputed maritime border.
The attack was the first on a civilian area since the 1950-53 Korean War, and occurred in waters not far from the spot where a torpedo sank a South Korean warship eight months early, killing 46 sailors.
That attack was also blamed on the North — and allegation the country vehemently denies.
But the North has made some conciliatory moves recently.
On New Year's Day, the government issued a lengthy statement calling for warmer ties and the resumption of joint projects with South Korea. Pyongyang, eager for food and fuel assistance, has said it wants stalled international aid-for-nuclear-disarmament talks to restart. Washington and Seoul have said the North must first fulfil past nuclear disarmament commitments.
