South Korea should make clear its position on the two inter-Korean joint statements before proposing dialogue with the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), official Rodong Sinmun daily said Saturday.

The inter-Korean dialogue must be in line with the principles of national reunification, the paper quoted a spokesman for the Fatherland Peaceful Reunification Committee as saying.

The South Korean government, which defied the two joint statements reached by the two countries' leaders in 2000 and 2007 respectively, has been disqualified for dialogue with the DPRK, the spokesman said.

He urged the South Korean government to apologize for "ruining the inter-Korean relations."

Relations between Pyongyang and Seoul have turned sour since February when President Lee Myung Bak took office and pledged to get tough with the DPRK. The DPRK has cut off all official contacts with South Korea.

(Xinhua News Agency December 20, 2008)