▲ Cheong Wa Dae (Yonhap)

Cheong Wa Dae-N Korea

Cheong Wa Dae vows efforts for peaceful coexistence as Pyongyang dismisses any dialogue with Seoul

By Kim Eun-jung

SEOUL, Feb. 26 (Yonhap) -- Cheong Wa Dae said Thursday that South Korea will continue efforts toward peaceful coexistence on the Korean Peninsula, shortly after North Korean leader Kim Jong-un dismissed any dialogue with Seoul while appearing to leave the door open for talks with the United States.

Cheong Wa Dae gave the response as Kim, wrapping up the North's key party congress, rejected the outreach by President Lee Jae Myung's administration, describing Seoul's olive branch as "deceptive."

"Our government will continue efforts to open a future of co-prosperity in which the two Koreas can peacefully coexist and prosper together," a senior presidential official said. "To this end, the South and the North should refrain from hostile and confrontational rhetoric and build a foundation of mutual respect and trust."

At the party congress, Kim warned that North Korea would permanently exclude South Korea from "the category of the same people," reaffirming his earlier position that inter-Korean relations should be treated as those between hostile states.

During a military parade marking the end of the congress, Kim also warned of "terrible retaliatory attacks" against any force that commits hostile military acts against North Korea.

In contrast, Kim left the door open for potential talks with Washington, saying North Korea would have no reason not to get along with the United States if it withdrew what Pyongyang calls its hostile policy.

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