The government says it will retain the Korean War armistice and maintain the Northern Limit Line as a maritime demarcation line off the Yellow Sea.

In materials distributed to the media Tuesday, the Unification Ministry also said that threatening remarks issued by the North last week were irrational.

Last Wednesday, North Korea said it would no longer abide by the armistice that ended the Korean War a half century ago.

The ministry added that by conducting its second nuclear test last Monday, the North had threatened the lives of some 70 million people on the Korean Peninsula and violated a U.N. Security Council resolution.

The ministry said the North strained inter-Korean ties by unilaterally suspending dialogue and taking hard-line measures.

The ministry emphasized that Seoul respects the June 15th, 2000 Joint Declaration and the October fourth Declaration.