North Korea has said that if the United States wants to engage in dialogue it must stop joint military exercises with South Korea.
 
Responding to a reporter from the North's Korean Central News Agency on Wednesday, North Korea's Foreign Ministry spokesperson said if the U.S. abandons hostile activities such as the exercises and chooses to walk a different path, then it would be possible to engage in dialogue and resolve many issues.
 
Regarding U.S. Special Envoy for the Six Party Talks Sydney Seiler's remark that dialogue has stalled due to Pyongyang's absence, the North Korean official said the envoy is misleading the public.
 
The spokesperson said the escalation of tension on the Korean Peninsula is due to the United States' anti-North policies, in particular its military drills with South Korea.
 
The official said that unless Washington shows a sincere will to engage in talks by abandoning the exercises, the situation will be aggravated and a vicious cycle will continue.
 
However, the United States has rejected the North's claims, saying its statement is a tacit threat inappropriately linking the joint exercises with a possible nuclear test.