A North Korean newspaper claims that the Lee Myung-bak administration’s so-called “confrontational policies” on the North have brought inter-Korean ties to their most strained stained since before the 2000 inter-Korean summit.

Pointing to President Lee's New Year remarks, the Rodong Sinmun daily said the leader of South Korea made no mention of cross-border joint declarations and is only trying to prolong the South-North confrontation to pursue a long-term agenda.