North Korea pushes South on military drills

North Korea toNKOREA-LD SKOREA urged a sceptical South Korea to respond to a recent series of trust-building gestures and again urged Seoul to cancel upcoming military drills with the United States.
The apparent olive branch came in the form of an open letter sent to South Korean authorities by the North's top military body on the orders of leader Kim Jong-Un proffering "reconciliation and unity".
Published by the North's official KCNA news agency, the letter built on a series of confidence-building proposals that South Korea has already dismissed as a "deceptive" propaganda exercise.
"What is important for paving a wide avenue for mending North-South relations is to make a bold decision to stop all hostile military acts, the biggest hurdle stoking distrust and confrontation," the letter from the National Defence Commission (NDC) said.

Later in the day, the North made a fresh proposal for the resumption of reunions for families separated since the Korean War, saying this could provide fresh momentum to improving cross-border ties.
The North suggested the South could choose a date for a family reunion event "at its convenience" after the the time of the Lunar New Year on January 31.

The South welcomed the new offer saying it would send its own proposal later for the date and other details on family reunions.
But Seoul has reacted more cautiously to the other reconciliatory steps offered by Pyongyang.
A week earlier, the NDC had sent several proposals, urging South Korea to cancel the joint exercises with the United States and offering a mutual moratorium on mud-slinging by the two rivals.

Seoul not only dismissed the overtures, but warned that Pyongyang may well be laying the ground for a military confrontation.
"Regretfully, the South Korean authorities still remain unchanged in their improper attitude and negative stand," the NDC letter said.