South Korea's political circle has offered mixed responses to Seoul’s proposal for high-level dialogue with North Korea. 

In a statement on Tuesday, the ruling Democratic Party said it welcomed the move, adding that the Moon Jae-in administration is quickly and appropriately responding to the New Year's address by North Korean leader Kim Jong-un. The party said it anticipates the North will respond in an immediate and forward-looking manner. 

The largest opposition Liberty Korea Party criticized the proposal, saying with inter-Korean talks not conditioned on the North’s will to abandon its nuclear program, the South is falling for the North’s disguised overture and it will give Pyongyang more time to complete its nuclear program. 

The minor opposition People’s Party positively assessed the proposal, saying it can contribute to a successful PyeongChang Olympics by easing tension on the Korean Peninsula, but it cautioned against pinning too much hope on a one-time event.

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