SEOUL: North Korea on Monday rejected the South Korean new liberal, Lee Jae Myung administration's overtures, to resume dialogue and improve relations, casting a cloud over Seoul's plans to ease tensions and build peace through engagement.
Earlier in the day, Kim Yo-Jong, the powerful sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, accused President Lee's administration of "blindly adhering" to the South Korea-US alliance, declaring that Pyongyang will never engage in talks with Seoul.
"I make it clear once again that we are not interested in any policy or proposal put forward by Seoul, and there will be no chance of us sitting down with South Korea for any discussions, " she noted in the North's first official statement toward the Lee government.
"Looking at around the past 50 days since Lee Jae Myung took office ... (he) is no different from his predecessor in blindly adhering to the South Korea-US alliance and pursuing confrontation with us, " Kim said.