N.Korea urges South to work toward national reunification

North Korea on Sunday continued its public relations offensive on South Korea, calling on Seoul to work with the North in creating conditions for future national reunification.

"To the Korean nation that has undergone the tragedy of division for many years, it is a vital demand which can no longer be delayed to end the history of confrontation," said Rodong Sinmun, the official daily of the North Korea's ruling Workers' Party of Korea, Xinhua news agency reported.

"The North and South should be aware of their responsibility and duty before the times and history," it said. The "future orientation of the inter-Korean relations depends on South Korean authorities' efforts".

The daily called on Seoul to "lend an ear to the voices of the people," "remove all walls of confrontation," and "sincerely come out to the road" to better relations with the North.

North Korea has not yet announced its proposal to hold the second round of inter-Korean talks within one week at the truce village of Panmunjom, which is scheduled to discuss North Korea's dispatch of its art troupe to the PyeongChang Winter Olympics hosted by South Korea.

North Korea and South Korea held their first high-level meeting earlier this week at Panmunjom in more than two years, reaching a number of agreements ranging from cooperation in the Winter Olympics to taking measures to ease tensions on the peninsula.

--IANS

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