North Korea Rejects Talks with S. Korea

(MENAFN) North Korea has firmly rejected any overtures from South Korea, declaring it will not participate in talks of any kind, according to media on Monday. Kim Yo Jong, sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and a senior official in the ruling Workers' Party of Korea (WPK), delivered the blunt message.

In her role as deputy director of the WPK's Publicity and Information Department, Kim criticized the South Korean administration under President Lee Jae-myung, accusing it of maintaining a confrontational stance while pretending to seek engagement.

“Looking at (the time) since Lee Jae-myung took office…(he) is no different from his predecessor in blindly adhering to the South Korea-US alliance and pursuing confrontation with us,” she stated.

Kim reiterated that North Korea’s position remains firmly unchanged, regardless of any diplomatic efforts made by Seoul.

“We are not interested in any policy or proposal put forward by Seoul, and there will be no chance of us sitting down with South Korea for any discussions,” she added.

In response to Pyongyang’s rejection of renewed dialogue, South Korea issued a statement addressing the deep mistrust that has plagued inter-Korean relations.

"We have witnessed the high wall of distrust between the two Koreas due to years of hostility and confrontation," a senior official in the South Korean presidential office told South Korean media on Monday.

"The government will consistently take necessary actions to ensure a Korean Peninsula without hostility and conflict, in line with the Lee Jae-myung administration's firm principle of establishing a state of peace where there is no need to fight," the official added.

President Lee, who took office just last month, had signaled a willingness to reengage with North Korea in hopes of reducing tensions and reviving cooperation between the two countries.

MENAFN28072025000045017169ID1109849551