North Korea to restore communication hotline with South

Kim Jong-un of North Korea has said that he is willing to restore a vital communication hotline with its counterpart South Korea. However, he will only agree when there is a possible offer of reconciliation.

He has also accused the US of proposing talks without making any change to its hostile policy toward the North.

Pyongyang has further severed its hotline in August this year in a protest against South Korea-US military drills.

The latest comments of Mr. Kim came during the annual parliament session of Pyongyang.

“The US is touting ‘diplomatic engagement’… but it is no more than a petty trick for deceiving the international community and hiding its hostile acts,” a report by state news outlet KCNA said.

But Mr. Kim has appeared to extend a conditional olive branch towards South Korea. He further wants to restore the communication lines by early October how it depends on the attitude of the authorities of South Korea. Whether the relationship will improve or worse is also dependent on South Korea.

The latest comment of Mr. Kim echoes the tone of his sister. His sister said that North Korea would resume its talks with the South only when it ends its hostile policies.

In a statement, Kim said that South Korea needs to drop its double standard attitudes and the hostile strand to justify its acts.

She further added that face-to-face talks need to take place to declare the termination of the war. But they will only do it upon the meeting of all conditions.

The two nations have cut their communication hotlines. Also, they have restored it several times. Mr. Kim commented after the second day of the parliamentary session in North Korea. The rubber-stamp parliament sessions had seen various changes. North Korea has test-fired its third missile in the month.

Observers say that it is a sign that the North has no intention to slow down its arms development. The US is calling for North Korea to give up its Nuclear weapons. But Pyongyang is quite determined to prove that it will continue with the development of new weapons systems.

The North is repeatedly accusing the South of its double-standard military activities. South Korea has also tested its ballistic missiles this month.

Credits: BBC