South Korea said Wednesday Pyongyang's recent conciliatory attitude is a "tactical change", not in the fundamentals.
At the Forum of National Integration hosted by Grand National Party lawmakers in Seoul on Wednesday, South Korean Unification Minister Hyun In-taek said "We detect a change in North Korea (DPRK)'s attitude since July. But we perceive it to be a change in tactics and not in the fundamentals, because we observe no change in the North's attitude on the six-nation talks and nuclear issues."
The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) has lifted restrictive measures on inter-Korean ties recently, but the government still harbors lingering questions on whether it is willing to embrace fundamental changes, the minister said.
Hyun said that Pyongyang's recent overtures only helped to "bring inter-Korea relations back to square one," and the fate of future ties of the two Koreas depends largely on Pyongyang's further changes.
He stressed that the nuclear issue cannot be overlooked. "The North (DPRK) has yet to show any sign of abandoning its nuclear ambitions", he said.
"As the North Korean nuclear issue is of foremost importance, we will make efforts to resolve the problem. Our North Korea policy should be based on consensus of the people and it will be meaningless without it," he said.
As a series of conciliatory measures, the DPRK freed some detainees, suggested holding talks for separated families' reunion, lifted restrictions on border traffic, and restored a military hotline with South Korea.
