N. KOREA RULES OUT POSSIBLE TALKS WITH U.S.

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While condemning South Korea's proposal to play the role of a mediator between North Korea and the U.S., Pyongyang has reaffirmed its stance that it has no intention to sit down with Washington for talks. The North's remarks came ahead of the U.S. nuclear envoy for North Korea Stephan Biegun's trip to Seoul today.

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​North Korea's foreign ministry official Kwon Jong Gun reiterated that his country has no intention to sit down with the U.S. for talks. In a statement issued today, Kwon echoed First Vice Foreign Minister Choe Son-hui's recent remarks that there will be no Pyongyang-Washington summit before the upcoming U.S. presidential election. Kwon then criticized South Korea for continuing to make a nonsensical proposal to broker another summit between Donald Trump and Kim Jong-un. He added that only time will tell if Seoul's efforts will pay off or only invite ridicule. Biegun's North Korean counterpart, issued a statement over the weekend, dismissing any possibility of returning to negotiations with the U.S. She said her country feels no need to sit down with the U.S., accusing Washington of using dialogue with Pyongyang as a political tool. In today's statement issued on the day of Biegun's arrival in South Korea, North Korea flatly rejected President Moon Jae-in's recent emphasis on the need for another Kim-Trump summit before November's U.S. presidential election.