South Korea has expressed doubt over the sincerity of North Korea's remarks in its New Year's message about improving ties with Seoul.
 
The Unification Ministry said in a statement on Friday that North Korea also spoke last year about letting go of confrontational policies and coming onto a path of reconciliation, unity and unification. The statement said the North went against its own words and continued acts that damaged cross-border ties including nuclear tests, military threats, the unilateral shutdown of the inter-Korean Gaeseong Industrial Complex and slander against the South.
 
The ministry criticized Pyongyang for applying a double standard, such as its offer in its New Year’s address to end slander while accusing the South Korean president of toadyism for her trips overseas.
 
The ministry also noted North Korea's recent threat in December to "exact ruthless revenge on the South without notice."
 
The statement said peace and reconciliation do not come with words only. It said that for inter-Korean relations to improve, the North must show a sincere attitude toward building trust and more than anything else, make genuine efforts for denuclearization.