North Korea has again pressed South Korea to lift current sanctions, calling the demand a precondition for reunions of families separated by the Korean War.  
 
In a spokesman's statement Friday, the North's Committee for the Peaceful Reunification of the Fatherland claimed that the two Koreas cannot engage in any dialogue without lifting the so-called May 24 sanctions.
 
Referring to the measure imposed after the North's sinking of a South Korean warship in 2010, the Pyongyang official claimed the bans were created only to induce confrontations. 
 
The North emphasized that Seoul has to first remove the bans if it is genuinely interested in solving humanitarian issues. The committee also claimed that the North has been consistently trying to ease the pain of families and relatives separated due to the division and it has done its part to resolve humanitarian issues. 
 
The North's latest statement comes after President Park Geun-hye repeated her proposal for a family reunion event while receiving a policy briefing from the Unification Ministry.