North Korea has repeatedly rejected South Korea’s offer for preliminary talks to arrange senior government-level dialogue, which the two sides agreed in August to hold, despite signs of a thaw in the frosty relations.

An official at Seoul’s Unification Ministry said that Pyongyang rejected the proposals for the talks, which were made on Sept. 21 and 24, and Oct. 30. Under a comprehensive Aug. 25 deal to defuse cross-border tensions, the two Koreas agreed to hold government talks to address a series of bilateral issues.

“Our consistent position has been that the agreements under the Aug. 25 deal should be conscientiously implemented,” the official told reporters on condition of anonymity.

“There has recently been a momentum for improved bilateral ties due to an increase in civilian-sector exchanges and the holding of the reunions of separated families. We hope to maintain that momentum.”

Pyongyang first rejected the offer for dialogue, criticizing South Korean civic groups’ dissemination of anti-Pyongyang leaflets, lawmakers’ moves to enact a North Korea human rights law and news reports on North Korean provocations.

The latest proposal was turned down as Pyongyang refused to accept the letter proposing talks at the communication channel installed in the inter-Korean border village of Panmunjom.

By Song Sang-ho (sshluck@heraldcorp.com)