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North Korea prepares for inter-Korean conference despite Seoul’s refusal to participate

North Korea "will take all necessary measures to successfully hold this conference," North Korea’s preparatory committee said

© AP Photo/Wong Maye-E

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PYONGYANG, July 11. /TASS/. Preparations for the inter-Korean conference on peace and security and reunification of the North and the South has started in many regions of the world, North Korea’s preparatory committee said in a press release published in the official Rodong Sinmun newspaper on Monday.

Similar preparatory committees were established in China and the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) on July 6, the press release said.

North Korea "will take all necessary measures to successfully hold this conference, to celebrate with dignity the anniversary of liberation of Korea and achieve radical progress in ensuring peace and reunification of the Korean Peninsula," the committee noted.

On June 27 North Korea proposed to South Korea and Korean communities abroad to hold a joint conference of political parties, public organizations and individuals in Pyongyang or Kaesong. The forum "will allow to put an end to confrontation between compatriots in the North and South, will facilitate achieving peace and security on the Korean Peninsula," North Korea said in an open letter.

Pyongyang is ready to consider any Seoul’s initiatives "concerning the location and time of holding this forum, its agenda and participants," the letter said adding that North Korea hopes South Korean authorities "will positively react to this sincere proposal by DPRK (Democratic People’s Republic of Korea)."

On June 28 South Korea rejected the proposal and refused to participate in the forum. South Korean Ministry of Unification said that the proposal "is devoid of sincerity as it was voiced against the backdrop of North’s continuing nuclear and rocket development." Seoul stressed that talks on normalization of relations between North and South may resume only after the start of denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula.

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