A senior South Korean official says inter-Korean talks will not take place if North Korea does not apologize for the sinking of a South Korean naval vessel in March 2010.

The official told reporters on Wednesday that North Korea must apologize for its sinking of the “Cheonan” naval corvette, not just for its shelling of Yeonpyeong Island in November 2010.

The official also said that Seoul does not feel any rush to resume the South-North Korean talks. The official also stressed that the principle that says actions that raise tensions on the Korean Peninsula, including North Korea’s nuclear program, will never be rewarded is firmly upheld and understood.