Pro N Korean newspaper urges US to drop 'unilateral demands' in denuclearisation talks

A pro-North Korean newspaper based in Japan has demanded that US should drop its "unilateral" and "unfair" demands in denuclearisation talks with North Korea, warning that the negotiations will not move forward.

Ties between the US and North Korea hit a roadblock over the ease of sanctions, where Pyongyang sought relief as recognition of the steps taken towards denuclearisation.

Washington has, until now, reinforced that relief in sanctions would only be given after the communist country carries out "complete and verifiable" denuclearisation.

"No constructive dialogues can be held if (the US) continues to call for a package deal and a one-shot resolution by making unilateral demands for (the dismantlement of) Yongbyon plus alpha and abandonment of nuclear and ballistic missiles," Yonhap News Agency reported quoting the Choson Sinbo newspaper.

"For the North and the US to have constructive dialogues, such a hegemonic way of thinking should be overcome first," the paper said in its article.

The newspaper stated that North Korea remained committed to take denuclearisation steps in exchange for measures that the US takes, but warned that the communist nation will not pay heed to "unfair" demands and will not tolerate its "arrogance" and "self-righteousness."

On Friday, North Korean Vice Foreign Minister Choe Son-hui hit out at the US over its demands, threatening to suspend talks with Washington and resume missile launches and nuclear tests.

"We have no intention to yield to the US demands (put forward at the Hanoi summit) in any form, nor are we willing to engage in negotiations of this kind," she said.

Choe blamed Washington for not reaching a consensus in Hanoi and said they (the US) "were too busy with pursuing their own political interests and had no sincere intention to achieve a result."

On February 27-28, US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un had met for the second time in Vietnam's Hanoi city, which ended in a stalemate with no agreement reached. amid several reports surfaced by South Korea's spy agency and two American think tanks speculating that restoration work was underway at the long-range missile launch site in Dongchang-ri in North Korea.

There are also speculations about North Korea's possible preparation to launch a missile or a satellite-carrying rocket, which has also been reported by the US media, wherein they stated that there has been an increase in the activity at the missile assembly facility in Sanum-dong.