[Yonhap News Photo]
South Korea flatly turned down North Korea's request for fresh dialogue Monday and vowed to step up an international campaign aimed at curbing the communist country's nuclear and missile programs.
The South's defense ministry said Seoul would never recognize Pyongyang as a nuclear state and work with the international community to stop the development of atomic bombs through strong sanctions and pressure.
"Dialogue is meaningless at this time when there is no change in North Korea's attitude," ministry spokesman Moon Sang-gyun told reporters.
Pyongyang's state media reported Sunday that leader Kim Jong-un called for inter-Korean military dialogue at a party congress to avoid armed conflicts and ease high tensions along the heavily militarized inter-Korean border.
Described improving inter-Korean relations as a "pressing" issue, Kim warned that an armed conflict could break out at any time across the border because there is no channel of communication between North and South Korean military authorities.
If the two Koreas open military talks, they can have a "comprehensive" discussion on avoiding armed clashes and easing tensions, Kim said.
"There is no sincerity in the overture," Moon said, referring to Kim's message that North Korea would step up the development of nuclear weapons.
The South's unification ministry also warned that North Korea would face "stronger sanctions and pressure" if it continues to push for provocative nuclear and ballistic missile tests.
Kim opened the seventh Workers' Party Congress on Friday by hailing North Korea's nuclear and long-range rocket tests earlier this year as demonstrating its "dignity and power at the highest level".
The rare event in Pyongyang has been watched closely by outsiders to see if there would be any change in North Korea's policy and attitude. There have been few signs of change so far from Kim's messages.
It was the first party gathering since October 1980, and also the first under Kim Jong-un who took power in December 2011 following the death of his father Kim Jong-il.
Aju News Lim Chang-won = cwlim34@ajunews.com
reporter
Park Sae-jin
swatchsjp@ajunews.com
