N. Korea Calls on Seoul Not to Blindly Follow Foreign Powers

North Korea has called on South Korea to seek better inter-Korean relations rather than cooperation with the U.S.

On Saturday, the North Korean propaganda outlet Maeari reiterated calls for the South to promote the interests of the Korean people. It said that in order to facilitate the mood for peace fostered on the Korean Peninsula and to further advance cross-border relations, South Korean authorities should abide by the principle of self-reliance and not be wary of what others think or blindly submit to them.

The North also pointed to U.S. Special Representative for North Korea Stephen Biegun's recent talks in Seoul, where the two sides agreed to step up cooperation on North Korea.

Pyongyang said Seoul did not hide its intention to continuously follow a foreign power's hostile stance against the North.

It stressed that South Korea is to blame for the failed implementation of inter-Korean agreements and urged Seoul to part ways with its foreign-dependent policy before it's too late and stand up to the U.S. and say what it needs to say and make demands.

The propaganda outlet did not remark on South Korea's decision on Friday to provide humanitarian food aid to the North.