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North Korea calls offer of talks from the South 'insincere' North Korea calls offer of talks from the South 'insincere'
(about 1 hour later)
North Korea has called an offer of talks from the South "insincere", in a rare meeting of high-level officials. North Korea has dismissed an offer of talks from the South as "insincere".
South Korean authorities told the BBC that its foreign minister Kang Kyung-wha spoke to her North Korean counterpart Ri Yong Ho on Sunday on the sidelines of a forum in Manila. South Korean Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha had raised the issue with her North Korean counterpart Ri Yong Ho on the sidelines of a regional forum on Sunday in the Philippines.
Tensions have escalated on the Korean peninsula in recent months amid repeated missile tests by the North. North Korean state media later said there could be no negotiations over its controversial nuclear weapons programme while it faces threats from the US.
The UN Security Council voted on Saturday to impose fresh sanctions. It also rejected fresh sanctions imposed by the UN on Saturday.
South Korea proposed talks with the North last month to ease tensions and resume reunions of families separated by the Korean War, but Pyongyang has yet to officially respond. The KCNA state news agency said the sanctions were a "violent violation of our sovereignty" and vowed to take action.
South Korean media reported that Ms Kang and Mr Ri shook hands in a brief and unarranged meeting at an official dinner event held by the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean). The unanimous Security Council decision follows repeated missile tests by the North which have escalated tensions on the peninsula.
'Put politics aside'
South Korean media reported that Ms Kang and Mr Ri shook hands in a brief and unarranged meeting at an official dinner event held by the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) in the Philippine capital, Manila.
A South Korean foreign ministry official confirmed the meeting to the BBC.A South Korean foreign ministry official confirmed the meeting to the BBC.
South Korean news agency Yonhap reported Ms Kang as saying that Mr Ri's rejection appeared to be connected with mounting sanctions on North Korea. South Korean news agency Yonhap reported Ms Kang as saying that Mr Ri's rejection of the talks proposal appeared to be connected with the new sanctions.
"I told him that [the two offers for talks] are an urgent matter that should be carried out immediately with any political agenda put aside and asked him to proactively react," she was quoted as saying."I told him that [the two offers for talks] are an urgent matter that should be carried out immediately with any political agenda put aside and asked him to proactively react," she was quoted as saying.
The foreign minister of China, which is Pyongyang's closest ally, told journalists on Monday: "My feeling is that the North did not entirely reject the positive proposals raised by the South." Wang Yi added that China also supported the South's initiatives.The foreign minister of China, which is Pyongyang's closest ally, told journalists on Monday: "My feeling is that the North did not entirely reject the positive proposals raised by the South." Wang Yi added that China also supported the South's initiatives.
All three countries' ministers are attending the Asean forum in Manila. KCNA insisted on Monday that North Koreas would continue to its nuclear weapons programme and would "not put our self-defensive nuclear deterrent on the negotiating table" while it faces threats from the US.
The US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson is also at the forum, where he spoke about North Korea.
He told journalists that the unanimous vote by the UN Security Council to impose new sanctions was "quite clear in terms of being no daylight among the international community" on their desire for North Korea to stop its tests.
He also made a note of Russia and China's participation in the vote.
The two countries have previously differed with others on how to handle Pyongyang, but in recent months have joined in calls for North Korea to stop its missile tests while also urging the US and South Korea to halt military drills.
On Monday, US President Donald Trump spoke to his South Korean counterpart Moon Jae-in over the phone about relations on the Korean peninsula.
They agreed that North Korea "poses a grave and growing direct threat" and the two leaders were committed to fully implement the latest round of UN sanctions, the White House said in a statement.
What are the new sanctions?What are the new sanctions?
North Korea has is yet to officially respond to the new sanctions. A senior official told Yonhap: "We will make our stance clear when things are determined." The US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson is also at the Asean forum, where he spoke about North Korea.
But ruling party newspaper Rodong Sinmun earlier said nuclear action or sanctions taken by Washington would lead to an "unimaginable sea of fire" engulfing the US. Noting Russia and China's participation in the unanimous vote, he told journalists it was clear there was now "no daylight among the international community" on their desire for North Korea to stop its tests.
Russia and China have previously differed with others on how to handle Pyongyang, but in recent months have joined in calls for North Korea to stop its missile tests while also urging the US and South Korea to halt military drills.
On Monday, US President Donald Trump spoke to his South Korean counterpart Moon Jae-in over the phone about relations on the Korean peninsula.
They agreed that North Korea "poses a grave and growing direct threat" and the two leaders were committed to fully implementing the latest round of UN sanctions, the White House said in a statement.