The south Korean authorities even let conservative media float story that the "north was only concerned for the resumption of the tour of Mt. Kumgang, money box", malignantly slandering the north and giving impression that it was to blame for the rupture of the talks.

A spokesman for the Committee for the Peaceful Reunification of Korea in a statement on Tuesday branded this as an intolerable and serious provocation against the dialogue partner.

The talks that were provided with much effort amid expectation and concern of all the Koreans ended without any fruit. This was an inevitable result of the confrontation policy of the south Korean authorities who are interested in neither genuine dialogue nor the improvement of the relations, the statement said, and went on:

In fact, we were of the view that things can hardly be settled even though we sit face to face with the south Korean authorities who are keen on the moves for escalating confrontation in total breach of the August agreement.

But the south side earnestly called for the authorities' talks, saying any issue can be discussed once they are opened. Our idea was to trust them and sit with them first and then solve issues that are deemed urgent and easy in the bilateral relations.

So, we, stressing the need to create the atmosphere of dialogue for improving the bilateral relations, proposed resuming the tour of Mt. Kumgang and settling the issue of separated families and relatives, urgent issues about which all the Koreans are concerned, and reactivating exchanges in various fields.

But the south side raised lots of unimportant issues which are not helpful to the improvement of the north-south relations in wanton violation of the agreement made at the technical contact for the authorities' talks on seeking negotiated settlement of pending issues between the north and the south, thus deliberately creating difficulties and obstacles.

The DPRK side proposed simultaneously pushing forward and implementing the issues of the resumption of tour and the separated families and relatives as the south side shunned the discussion of the resumption issue but the south side flatly turned down discussion of the tour issue, saying that "it is principle not to link the issue".

We even allowed the extension of the talks, persuading the south side and showing magnanimity, but the south side insisted that it can never agree on resuming the tour, thus pushing the talks into a rupture.

What's more, the south Korean authorities now talk loudly in public that it proposed the issue of "three channels". It had better look back on whether it has face to talk about "channel" as it blocked all the wide avenues that were created in the June 15 era and now goes mischievous not to open even such small channel as tour.

The talks clearly proved that as long as the south Korean authorities persist in dependence on outsiders and moves for confrontation with fellow countrymen, the north-south relations can never make even a step forward and that even though dialogue is held, nothing will be settled.