By Alex Jensen
SEOUL (AA) — South Korea has rejected North Korea’s recent offer to stop nuclear testing in return for a halt to Seoul’s joint military drills with the United States.
The South’s unification ministry accused Pyongyang on Monday of “bartering an illegal act” for the suspension of exercises that Seoul and Washington have long maintained are defensive.
North Korean Foreign Minister Ri Su-yong made the offer in international media over the weekend, reflecting Pyongyang’s concern about the potential threat posed by nearly 30,000 American military personnel south of the inter-Korean border.
“Ri’s remarks seemed to aim to pass the buck to Seoul and Washington and divert attention from global efforts to impose sanctions on the North,” a unification ministry spokesperson insisted.
His comments echoed U.S. President Barack Obama’s sentiment when he addressed reporters in Germany on Sunday.
Pyongyang has already been heavily sanctioned for four nuclear tests in total, the latest of which came in January.
At a separate briefing Monday, South Korea’s defense ministry warned that a fifth test could be imminent.
“We are keeping particularly close attention to the possibility because today marks the founding anniversary of the North’s armed forces,” a spokesperson explained.
Seoul revealed signs of movement at North Korea’s nuclear test site this month.
Analysts have also highlighted an upcoming major political congress in the North as a cause for concern, as the country’s dictatorship may view a provocation as a way of solidifying its grip on power.
Pyongyang announced Sunday the success of a submarine-launched ballistic missile test, which South Korean military officials viewed as a failure — even so, the United Nations Security Council issued a statement of condemnation as North Korea is barred from testing ballistic missiles in addition to developing nuclear weapons.
