North Korea appears to be gearing up to launch a diplomatic offensive to ease soaring tensions on the Korean Peninsula after South Korea blamed the communist state for the deadly March sinking of its warship, according to the South Korean government.
In a weekly newsletter seen Saturday, the Unification Ministry in Seoul said North Korea appears willing to "turn the critical mood around through active dialogue" after the U.N. Security Council on July 10 condemned an attack that sank the Cheonan.
North Korea denies any role in the sinking that left 46 South Korean sailors dead. Following the Council statement that came short of explicitly
blaming North Korea, the communist state claimed it scored a diplomatic victory and displayed a willingness to resume dialogue with the outside
world.
South Korea maintains it will not agree to any dialogue with North Korea unless Pyongyang admits to its attack on the Cheonan near their Yellow Sea
border and punishes those involved in it.
The ministry newsletter also said the isolated North is deliberately refraining from publicizing certain parts of the Council statement to
mislead its people into believing its claims.