North Korea's official newspaper Rodong Sinmun has called for substantive talks that can contribute to unification on the Korean Peninsula.

In an editorial on Saturday, the daily said the two Koreas must engage in talks and negotiations that can actually contribute to improving ties and bringing about unification, adding that talks that are not unification-related are only a waste of time.

It said it is important for the two sides to put the Korean people's interests before ideologies and differences in opinion and proposed not to argue over trivial matters.

The editorial demanded that the South stop its confrontational actions such as distribution of anti-Pyongyang leaflets and raising human rights issues.

In another editorial on the same day, the North lashed out at a plan to create a combined division of South Korean and U.S. troops, urging the two countries to drop reckless military provocations and to help build a peaceful environment.