North Korea has repeated its stance that the resumption of inter-Korean dialogue would be possible only when South Korea lifts its sanctions on the North, restarts tours to Mount Geumgang and ends joint military drills with the U.S.
      
In an editorial titled “Dialogue and Confrontation Cannot Coexist,” North Korea’s state-run Rodong Sinmun said Monday that ending South Korea-U.S. joint military exercises is the first step toward resuming inter-Korean dialogue.
     
The North Korean newspaper criticized the South for pouring cold water on improving inter-Korean relations by holding joint military drills with the U.S. It said that South Korea-U.S. joint military exercises are the main cause that blocks dialogue and cooperation between the two Koreas.
 
On September 13, Pyongyang told Seoul to halt the distribution of anti-North Korean leaflets if it wants to resume talks with North Korea.  
 
Analysts say the North is listing such conditions in an attempt to sidestep the South’s latest proposal for inter-Korean high-level talks while mounting further pressure on Seoul.