South Korea urges North to restore hotlines for any talks

By HYUNG-JIN KIM
Associated Press

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — South Korea is urging North Korea to restore dormant communication hotlines, a day after the North repeated an offer to open conditional talks. The North might be seeking to extract concessions about two weeks after it raised tensions by carrying out its first missile tests in six months. North Korea has twice reached out to South Korea saying it’s open to talks if conditions are met. Kim Yo Jong, the powerful sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, said Saturday the two Koreas can take steps toward reconciliation if South Korea abandons “hostile polices” and “double-dealing standards.” She didn’t elaborate on specific steps she expects but experts say North Korea wants South Korea to play a role in winning relief from U.S.-led sanctions.