SEOUL — Seoul is not willing to lift sanctions against North Korea unless Pyongyang first agrees to dialogue, one of its Ministry of Unification spokespersons said on Monday.

“The government is not willing to act in advance on what North Korea demands in order to bring the North to the table,” Unification Ministry spokesman Lim Byong-chul said in a regular press briefing.

“What the North put up as the prerequisites (for dialogue) are issues which should be dealt with with our government through discussion, at the table,” Lim continued, noting it was “not advisable” to accept “unjust conditions” before dialogue