South Korea is taking measured steps in engaging North Korea while its allies hint at more openness to possible dialogue with the regime.

On Monday, Seoul’s Ministry of Unification revealed that the government has yet to draw up concrete plans regarding North Korean leader Kim Jong-un’s summit invitation to President Moon Jae-in.

While speculations rose that Moon would send a special envoy to Pyongyang after the invitation was delivered by the North leader’s sister Kim Yo-jong on Feb. 10, Unification Ministry spokesman Baek Tae-hyun said the matter remained undecided. At the time of the meeting with the North Korean delegation, Moon responded that the two Koreas should work together to establish an environment that would allow for a summit meeting in Pyongyang. 

In addition to weighing its options on North Korea, Seoul is continuing a balancing act between its allies and a North Korea that appears ready to resume its bellicose stance against the international community.

On Monday, North Korea continued its attack on the US through propaganda organs for a third consecutive day.

In an editorial published Monday, North Korea’s Rodong Shinmun claimed that the US is attempting to disrupt improving inter-Korean relations, citing talks of the resumption of South Korea-US military drills once the Olympics are over.

Monday’s article is only the latest in Pyongyang’s media reports that accuse the US of destabilizing inter-Korean relations. Recent reports from Pyongyang have also emphasized inter-Korean interactions, referring to North Korea as a “principal agent of unification” in an apparent attempt to downplay the role of the US.

In response, Seoul’s Unification Ministry once again reiterated its position that Washington-Pyongyang talks must take place in the near future.

The US, and even Japan, have hinted at a softened approach on the issue.

Top US officials including Secretary of State Rex Tillerson have said that dialogue with Pyongyang has not been ruled out. In addition, Japan’s Foreign Minister Taro Kono recently commented that dialogue with North Korea is important.

While Kono added that denuclearization must be a precondition for any contact with the regime, the statement hints at a change in Japan’s position.

In the run up to the PyeongChang Olympics, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe had emphasized a number of times that meaningful dialogue with the North is unlikely.

Despite the apparently more open approach to talks, the US maintains that unconditional talks and concessions are not on the table.

“We (the US delegation) made it clear that the United States of America will continue to bring maximum pressure to bear on the dictatorship in North Korea until they stop threatening this country, and end their nuclear and ballistic missile programs once and for all,” US Vice President Mike Pence said at a tax reform event Saturday, referring to his Olympic trip. Pence attended the opening ceremony of the PyeongChang Olympics as the head of the US delegation, and met with Moon on a number of occasions during the visit.

The stance was echoed by Tillerson in a recent TV interview.

“We‘re not using a carrot to convince them to talk. We’re using large sticks. And that is what they need to understand,” Tillerson said in the interview with a US television network.

By Choi He-suk (cheesuk@heraldcorp.com)