S Korea says Pyongyang's renewed call for inter-Korean talks 'lacks sincerity'

Seoul, Jan 10 (ANI): South Korea has dismissed the latest call for inter-Korean talks by the North saying it 'lacks sincerity', and urged Pyongyang to address pending issues first.

On Saturday, North Korea had reportedly released another statement suggesting unconditional and early talks to help ease cross border tension.

However, South Korean Unification Ministry spokesman Chun Hae-sung said that the government believes "it is hard to take the statement as a sincere proposal for talks."

Xinhua quoted Chun as saying further that the statement did not mention Pyongyang's nuclear issues or its recent military provocation despite Seoul's insistence that it must address such issues first.

Tension rose sharply early this year between the two nations after Seoul accused the North of torpedoing one of its navy vessels, killing 46 sailors. In November last year, North Korean artillery shells had killed two marines and destroyed several houses and other buildings on the South Korean island of Yeonpyeong.

North Korea has been denying its involvement in the alleged torpedo attack on a South Korean warship last March, and has claimed its shelling on Yeonpyeong Island was in self-defence. (ANI)