South Korea said Tuesday nothing has been decided over whether the South and North Korea would hold high-level talks before the North’s key national anniversary in early October.
South and North Korea reached a landmark deal on Aug. 25 to ease military tension and hold high-level talks as soon as possible. But the North is threatening to make missile and nuclear provocations as it prepares for the 70th anniversary of the founding of the ruling Workers’ Party on Oct. 10.
A local media company reported that the government is mulling holding a high-level meeting right after the Chuseok holiday, which falls this Sunday, apparently out of concern that the North’s missile provocations are feared to hurt the hard-won conciliatory mood on the Korean Peninsula.
The Unification Ministry said that Seoul has not offered a high-level meeting to Pyongyang so far, adding that the government is still in the process of taking various factors into consideration.
“Nothing has been decided yet,” said a ministry official, asking not to be named.
The North has recently made missile and nuclear threats as it vowed to launch satellites near its anniversary, which outside analysts view as a cover for ballistic missile tests. Pyongyang has also hinted at conducting a fourth nuclear test. (Yonhap)
