War veterans and members of conservative groups hold their national flags during a rally to call for unity between two Koreas in Seoul, South Korea, March 1, 2015. (Photo: AP)
(VOVworld) - The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) on Monday said it was ready to hold talks with the Republic of Korea (ROK) to boost mutual trust and reconciliation between the two sides and urged the ROK to fulfill the joint declarations made by the two countries’ leaders.
The statement, which was carried by the official KCNA news agency, said that atmosphere conducive to improving the north-south relationship needs to be formed and that Seoul should no longer make provocative moves that irritate Pyongyang, but create a favorable climate and remove legal and regulatory mechanisms that impede contacts and communications between the two sides.
Pyongyang urged Seoul to halt its joint military drills with the United States, including "Key Resolve" and "Foal Eagle”, saying the "north-south relations cannot improve, nor a nuclear war can be defused on the Korean Peninsula, as long as such military threats and provocations continue to exist."
Seoul has asked Pyongyang to conduct negotiations without establishing groundless pre-conditions.
The Ministry of Unification said that the DPRK needs to immediately end provocative acts which accelerate tensions on the Korean peninsula.
Pyongyang acknowledged Seoul’s efforts to enhance inter-Korean people-to-people exchanges to improve national unification.