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S. Korea, U.S. see dialogue with N.K. as still possible despite Pyongyang’s rejection

SEOUL– South Korea and the United States believe that dialogue with North Korea is still possible despite North Korea’s rejection of a U.S. dialogue offer, a foreign ministry official said Friday.

U.S. Special Representative for North Korea Sung Kim called for talks with the North “anywhere, anytime without conditions” but Pyongyang rejected the offer, with its foreign minister saying the country is “not considering even the possibility of any contact with the U.S.”

The sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un also said the U.S. has “wrong” expectations for dialogue.

“We believe that the possibility of talks is still open,” a foreign ministry official said of the statements from North Korea. “There are some exceptional aspects in their remarks, that are different from the past, so we’re watching closely.”

“We don’t think we’re at a stage where we need to change our approach. We are trying to resume dialogue based on the strategic directions given from the leaders of South Korea and the U.S.,” the official added.

At the May 21 summit in Washington, Presidents Moon Jae-in and Joe Biden agreed to embrace past agreements reached between the two Koreas and between the U.S. and the North in a sign of commitment to dialogue with Pyongyang.

A source said it appears that the officials in Seoul and Washington take note of the fact that the North refrained from reacting aggressively or using harsh language this time. The statements also came in relatively short lengths.

“We, at the working level, are fully consulting with the U.S. over various scenarios and preparing for them,” the official said.

Source: Yonhap News Agency