Seoul must halt ‘hostile acts’ before talks: Pyongyang

South Korea must lift some economic sanctions and halt “hostile acts” as a condition for talks with North Korea, Pyongyang said on Monday.

>Seoul offered in August to hold a second round of high-level talks on family reunions and other outstanding issues between the two countries, Yonhap News agency reported.

North Korea’s

Rodong Sinmun newspaper said economic sanctions imposed after its forces allegedly sank a South Korean warship in 2010 were hindering reconciliation efforts.

The sanctions halted all economic cooperation between the two sides, except for the joint venture at the Kaesong industrial zone.

The article in the newspaper run by the Workers’ Party also called on Seoul to cancel joint military drills with US forces. “It’s the very first step to open the door for dialogue,” it said.