S. Korea: Sanctions against N. Korea just

HANOI, Vietnam, July 22 (UPI) -- South Korea's foreign minister rejected North Korea's call to lift sanctions, saying North Korea must sincerely want denuclearization if talks are to resume.

Foreign Minister Yu Myung-hwan's comments came after North Korean diplomat Ri Ton Il said during a regional security meeting in Hanoi, Vietnam, Pyongyang wanted to resume talks, but sanctions should be lifted so all parties would be on equal footing, the South Korean news agency Yonhap reported.

Ri accused South Korea and the United States of threatening regional peace with planned large-sale military exercises and new sanctions against the North Korean government over the sinking of a South Korean warship in which 46 sailors died.

"We cannot agree to this," Yu said of Pyongyang's demand to lift sanctions. "North Korea must show genuine willingness and make progress in denuclearization" before negotiations among the Koreas, China, Japan, Russia and the United States can resume.

The South Korean minister said the sanctions were in accordance with a U.N. Security Council resolution adopted last year after North Korea conducted a second nuclear test, Yonhap reported.

"The recent Security Council statement also stressed the importance of preventing the North's further hostilities," Yu said.