North Korea’s Kim seeks better ties with South, but slams US

By HYUNG-JIN KIM and KIM TONG-HYUNG
Associated Press

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — North Korea leader Kim Jong Un has expressed willingness to restore stalled communication lines with South Korea to promote peace in early October, while he shrugged off recent U.S. offers for dialogue. Kim’s statement is an apparent effort to drive a wedge between Seoul and Washington as he wants South Korea to help him win relief from crippling U.S.-led economic sanctions and other concessions. Pyongyang has offered conditional talks with Seoul alongside its first missile firings in six months and stepped-up criticism of the United States. The U.N. Security Council scheduled an emergency closed meeting on Thursday over the recent missile activity. North Korea’s outreach to Seoul comes as South Korean President Moon Jae-in who seeks progress before he leaves office next May.