[News Today] N.Korea rejects gestures for dialogue

[LEAD]
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has been lashing out at the South Korea–U.S. joint drills, calling for a stronger nuclear arsenal. Despite Seoul's recent overtures for dialogue, Pyongyang has shown no sign of engaging. So what lies behind this stance? We take a look

[REPORT]
Despite South Korea's gestures for dialogue, North Korea keeps raising its criticism of the South, this time responding with vows to strengthen its nuclear capabilities.

This means Pyongyang has no intentions to change its Two hostile states stance for the time being.

Some say there is no need to interpret this as a refusal to have dialogue, because North Korea has always criticized joint military exercises between South Korea and the U.S.

The presidential office also says it's just a usual response from Pyongyang that has been shown repeatedly so far.

However, unlike in the past, when the drills were mostly criticized through the North Korean military or the North Korean leader's sister Kim Yo-jong, this time Kim Jong-un personally lashed out at them.

He appears to be using the exercises as justification for advancing the North's nuclear program, both domestically and abroad, while also pressuring Seoul and Washington to halt the drills.

It means the postponement of half of the field training exercises by Seoul is not enough.

Prof. Park Won-gon / Ewha Womans Univ.
N. Korea has repeatedly objected to the drills, U.S. strategic assets since Trump’s election, demanding they stop as a condition for a summit.

Kim is also trying to neutralize dialogue at the precondition of denuclearization.

Hong Min / Korea Institute for Nat’l Unification
North Korea rejects denuclearization, holding back provocations while stressing its resolve to keep nuclear weapons.

Some watchers see it as a preemptive message aimed at blocking next week’s South Korea-U.S. summit from including denuclearization principles in the discussions or joint statement.