The government has made it clear that it will not accept the preconditions North Korea is demanding in return for holding inter-Korean dialogue.
 
In a regular news briefing Monday, Unification Ministry spokesman Lim Byeong-cheol addressed the dimming prospects for inter-Korean government-level talks, initially proposed to be held within this month,
 
Lim said the South is not urging the North to agree to cross-border dialogue within a set deadline. The spokesman then stressed that North Korea should come forward to dialogue anytime without attaching unilateral demands if it wants better relations with South Korea.
 
Lim said that the South has no plan to accept the North’s demands for the cancellation of joint military drills with the U.S. and the removal of sanctions on Pyongyang in order to bring North Korea back to dialogue.
 
The ministry spokesman said that Pyongyang seems willing to hold talks with Seoul, noting North Korean leader Kim Jong-un’s New Year’s address that stressed the need for inter-Korean talks and exchanges.
 
Lim said that North Korea may have its own reasons to refuse South Korea’s repeated talk proposals. But he reiterated that despite all of the reasons, the North should show up for inter-Korean talks if it is sincere about improving ties with Seoul.