NORTH Korea called for better relations with South Korea on Saturday, amid heightened tensions on the divided peninsula after the North’s deadly bombardment of a border island.
‘Confrontation between North and South should be defused as early as possible,’ joint New Year editorials of three leading North Korean state newspapers said.
Relations plunged after the North’s artillery attack in November that killed four people including civilians, leading to worldwide condemnation and calls for China to rein in its close ally.
The South has since staged a series of military exercises, including a live-fire drill on Dec 20 on the shelled island, but the North did not follow through with threats of a new and deadlier attack.
The newspapers said: ‘This year we should launch a more determined campaign to improve inter-Korean relations…’ They went on: ‘Active efforts should be made to create an atmosphere of dialogue and cooperation between North and South by placing the common interests of the nation above anything else.’
The editorial also reiterated that Pyongyang, whose nuclear drive has been the subject of currently stalled six-party talks, is committed to denuclearisation.