South Korea dismisses North call for dialogue

South Korea on Tuesday dismissed North Korea's thinly veiled call for dialogue, reiterating that the communist state must immediately stop its provocative acts and rhetoric, and take "sincere" efforts toward denuclearization.
On Sunday, Pyongyang mentioned the need for "negotiations" for the first time since the UN Security Council (UNSC) adopted a new sanctions resolution early last month to punish the unruly regime for its nuclear test in January and long-range rocket launch in February.
"We urge North Korea to stop its provocations and threats immediately and take a path toward denuclearization with sincerity based on the realization that denuclearization is the only choice (it should make)," an official at Seoul's Foreign Ministry told South Korea's (Yonhap) News Agency on the condition of anonymity.
"As long as the North refuses to show its willingness to denuclearize and shuns any change, pressure by us and the rest of the world will continue," he added, pointing out that the international community, "with a united voice," is calling on the North to make good on its past denuclearization commitments.
A unification ministry official also issued a similar statement, stressing that the international community will continue to put pressure on the North to give up its nuke arsenal.

Source: QNA