New | North Korea rejects talks with South on family reunions
Pyongyang says "proper atmosphere" has not been created to discuss the issue
North Korea has rejected a formal request from South Korea for talks next week on holding further reunions for families separated by the 1950-53 Korean War, Seoul’s Unification Ministry said.
The North’s negative response came as a recent upswing in cross-border ties has been soured by South Korea-US military drills and a series of North Korean rocket and missile tests.
The North said “the proper atmosphere has not been created to discuss family reunions”, the Unification Ministry said in a statement.
Seoul had sent its request on Wednesday, proposing a meeting on March 12 at the border truce village of Panmunjom.
The Unification Ministry had called on Pyongyang to respond quickly and positively in view of the “pain and suffering” experienced by the separated families.
The initiative came a week after the two Koreas wrapped up the first such family reunion for more than three years held at a mountain resort in North Korea from February 20 to February 25.