In a commentary on Jan. 17 he blamed the present authorities for escalating the north-south confrontation.

They have not yet given permission to the request for contact raised by the DLP at the end of last year to have exchange with the Korean Social Democratic Party, the commentary pointed out.

The north has advanced a series of proposals to have dialogue for detente without being subject to the past since the outset of this year, but the present authorities have turned down them, raising unreasonable preconditions, the commentary charged.

This is a clear manifestation of the intention to continue the hostile policy towards the north, and it will only raise the tension between the south and the north, it said.