N. Korea rejects U.N. chief's call for inter-Korean dialogue after mine blast

N Korea-UN

SEOUL, Nov. 10 (Yonhap) -- North Korea on Tuesday rejected U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres' recent call to resume inter-Korean dialogue to ease tensions following September's mine blast near the border, accusing him of being "prejudiced and irresponsible."

Kim Yo-jong, the powerful sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, made the rejection in a statement carried by the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).

Last week, the U.N. chief called for restoring communication channels between South and North Korea amid concerns over a potential escalation of tensions following the Sept. 21 land mine explosion inside the Demilitarized Zone. That incident, blamed on mines planted by the North, wounded three South Korean soldiers, two of them seriously.

"I express my regret over the fact that the top official of the U.N., which regards impartiality and objectivity as its lifeline, took such prejudiced and irresponsible attitude as echoing the ROK's unilateral and provocative sophism," Kim said.

She said the North's fortification of its southern border "never violates the U.N. Charter and the international laws as it is the most righteous, reasonable and regular exercise of its right to self-defense."

A joint investigation by South Korea's military and the U.N. Command concluded that the explosion was caused by antipersonnel mines deliberately planted by North Korea south of the Military Demarcation Line (MDL).

North Korea has denied responsibility for the incident, dismissing Seoul's findings as "fabricated."

South Korea subsequently raised the incident with the U.N. Security Council in a letter dated Oct. 22, calling on Pyongyang to apologize, remove the mines and take steps to prevent a recurrence.

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