It is none other than the south Korean conservative regime which has blocked the reunion of divided families and relatives by abusing the pain of the divided nation for escalating the confrontation with the north, Rodong Sinmun says in an article.

The article goes on:

The present south Korean authorities are refusing to lift the "May 24 steps" while talking about "dialogue without preconditions" and "negotiated settlement."

They loudmouthed about the "top-priority solution" of the issue of "divided families" and someone's "open heart". This is no more than rhetoric to cover up their criminal act of having totally blocked the reunion of divided families and relatives through the "May 24 steps".

They should be held wholly responsible for the issue of reunion of divided families and relatives as they have kept in force the "May 24 steps" which totally hold up all manpower and material exchange between the north and the south.

The defusing of confrontation will help open the door of cooperation.

If they are sincerely concerned for the humanitarian issue, they should not pay lip service to the issue of "divided families" but make a bold decision to lift the "May 24 steps".

Minju Joson in a commentary says that if they have a true will to mend the inter-Korean relations, they should stop the joint military drills with the U.S. and there is no reason to refuse the lifting of the "May 24 steps".