The Unification Ministry said Wednesday that North Korea has not officially proposed inter-Korean military talks.

Referring to comments on inter-Korean talks by North Korean leader Kim Jong-un during the Workers' Party congress that ended on Monday, Unification Ministry Spokesman Jeong Joon-hee said in a media briefing that Kim was only making public the North's recognition of the situation on the Korean Peninsula. 

Jeong said if the North makes such a proposal officially, the ministry will review it, but at the moment, Kim's comment appears to be sheer propaganda that lacks sincerity.

Jeong said the government doubts the sincerity of Kim’s proposal for talks, pointing to the fact that during the ruling party congress, the North did not stop threats against South Korea and never mentioned giving up its nuclear program.

The North Korean leader spoke about the necessity of military talks during a report to the central committee of the ruling Workers’ Party last Friday, saying talks between military officials of the North and South would defuse tensions and remove reasons for clashes in the demilitarized zone.