Summary of inter-Korean news this week

SEOUL, Jan. 15 (Yonhap) -- The following is a summary of inter-Korean news this week.

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S. Korea reaffirms commitment to implementing inter-Korean agreements

SEOUL, Jan. 9 (Yonhap) -- The unification ministry on Saturday said it has a firm determination to implement inter-Korean agreements, shortly after North Korean leader Kim Jong-un accused the South of going against it at a rare party congress.

Kim made the remarks during the eighth congress of the ruling Workers' Party currently under way in Pyongyang, calling on Seoul to abide by the inter-Korean peace-building and tension-reduction deals and halt its joint military exercises with the United States.

"As we stated several times previously, we are firmly determined to implement inter-Korean agreements and hope the two Koreas create a new starting point for peace and prosperity on the Korean Peninsula based on mutual trust and respect in the near future," Yoh Sang-key, the ministry's spokesperson, said in a press release.

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N.K. leader's sister slams S. Korea over closely tracking military parade

SEOUL, Jan. 13 (Yonhap) -- The powerful sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un harshly criticized South Korea's military for closely tracking its military parade believed to have taken place in Pyongyang to celebrate a rare party congress.

On Monday, Seoul's military officials said signs were detected that the North carried out a military parade in central Pyongyang Sunday night in time for the eighth congress of the ruling Workers' Party, which has been under way since its opening last week.

"What is weird is that the joint chiefs of staff of South Korea made a senseless statement that they captured the north opening a military parade at midnight on Jan. 10 and they are in the middle of making precision tracking," Kim Yo-jong was quoted as saying in a statement released by the official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) on Wednesday.

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N. Korea leaves 'many possibilities open' despite strong words at party congress

SEOUL, Jan. 13 (Yonhap) -- North Korea directed strong and unfriendly words toward South Korea and the United States during a recently concluded party congress but it still appears to be leaving "many possibilities open" for future policy directions, a top official said Wednesday.

A high-level official at the unification ministry made the assessment after the North wrapped up the eighth congress of the ruling Workers' Party the previous day.

During the sessions, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un defined the United States as the North's "foremost principal enemy" and called for strengthening the nuclear capabilities of his country.

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N.K. signals room for improvement in inter-Korean relations at party congress: ministry

SEOUL, Jan. 14 (Yonhap) -- North Korea appears to have left some room for improvement in inter-Korean relations despite its harsh words against Seoul during a recently concluded party congress, the unification ministry said Thursday.

The ministry made the assessment in an analysis report on the eighth congress of the North's ruling Workers' Party, during which the North "called for a sincere change" in Seoul's attitude and urged the South to implement inter-Korean agreements.

During the eight-day party congress that ended Tuesday, North Korea, however, said that any improvement in relations would be conditional on the South ending "all hostile acts" and called on the South to suspend its joint military drills with the U.S, which Seoul may find hard to accept.
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