North Korea accused South Korea Sunday of slandering the communist country, laying blame on the South after their high-level talks ended without an agreement.
Their two-day vice-ministerial talks held at a joint industrial part in the North Korean border town of Kaesong failed to produce any breakthroughs Saturday, with both sides pushing for different agenda.
The Koreas did not set a date for further talks, casting a cloud over inter-Korean dialogue, which has continued since an agreement between the sides on Aug. 25.
The August talks ended military tensions sparked after a land mine explosion blamed on the communist North maimed two South Korean soldiers early that month.
“Slandering and defaming the opposite party is a source of trouble that spoils the mood of talks and tie-mending,” said Uriminzokkiri, North Korea’s propaganda website monitored in Seoul.
“In order to bring about dialogue and tie-mending between the North and the South, (Seoul) should refrain from speeches and actions that violate them,” the posting said.
The North took issue with President Park Geun-hye’s UNESCO speech in Paris earlier this month, saying that she made a fuss about nuclear threats and human rights violations by the North.
“Now is the time that those who are directly responsible for improving inter-Korean ties should be careful with their words and behavior,” according to the website.
The North blamed the South on Saturday for rupturing the talks, claiming that Seoul refused to discuss basic inter-Korean issues like the resumption of a long-suspended joint tour program. (Yonhap)
