The Democratic People's Republic of Korea on Thursday urged South Korea to lift economic sanctions and cancel the scheduled military drills with the United States, calling for improved inter-Korean relations.
The DPRK's Committee for the Peaceful Reunification of the Fatherland was quoted by local media as saying in a statement that it is unshakable for Pyongyang to get willing to take the opportunity of the Aug. 15 Independence Day to open a new phase in relations between the two Koreas.
Friday will mark the 69th anniversary of Korea's independence from Japanese colonial rule between 1910 and 1945.
The statement urged South Korea to alter its policy regarding the North, calling for withdrawal of US forces from the Korean peninsula, and end to Seoul's "reliance" on external powers, the implementation of inter-Korean agreements and the end of "hostile" acts such as the joint military exercise with the US and the so-called May 24 sanctions.
The statement came as part of the DPRK's efforts to make clear its stance on overall inter-Korean relations, before responding to South Korea's proposal on Monday for holding senior-level talks next week.
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