North Korea's recent proposal of holding bilateral military talks with South Korea is "insincere" because the North has showed no signs of giving up its nuclear weapons program, a Chinese expert on the Korean Peninsula issue said Friday.
Following heightened tensions after North Korea's nuclear test and missile launches this year, the North has extended an offer of military talks to South Korea. South Korea has dismissed the proposal, saying that any substantive talks could take place only if the North takes concrete actions towards denuclearization.
Jin Qiangyi, director of the Institute of International Politics of Yanbian University, said in a piece published by the state-run Global Times that North Korea's proposal of talks is aimed at trying to emerge from its isolation.
"In fact, this is not the first time that North Korea has launched peace offensives. Pyongyang proposes peace talks every time it faces difficulties," Jin said in the article titled "Pyongyang's peace talk proposals insincere."
North Korea was slapped with tightened U.N. sanctions after its fourth nuclear test in January and launch of a long-range rocket in February.
"Currently, North Korea is under pressure from international sanctions and thus intends to ease the situation. This is the major reason behind Pyongyang's proposal," Jin said.
North Korea's isolation will be deepened if it continues to advance its nuclear and missile program, Jin said.
"The international community will not change its attitude on North Korea unless the latter abandons its nuclear programs," Jin said. "Pyongyang's commitment to Korean denuclearization is key for the nation if it wants to escape from the current diplomatic isolation." (Yonhap)