North Korea has urged the South Korean government to step up its efforts to improve inter-Korean relations.   
 
Rodong Sinmun, the official newspaper of North Korea's Workers' Party, said that Pyongyang wants to actively take part in dialogues and negotiations with the South to bring a breakthrough in inter-Korean relations.
 
Claiming that everything depends on the South Korean government's attitude, the newspaper urged the South to stop its joint military drills with the U.S. and civic groups' release of anti-Pyongyang propaganda leaflets.
 
In a statement from the National Defense Commission spokesman earlier this week, North Korea also demanded South Korea reveal its stance on the joint military drills and the leaflet activities.