Since his election, South Korean President Lee Jae Myung has tried to reverse the hard-line stance of his predecessor toward Pyongyang.

There has been cautious optimism in the South that the North may respond positively and may even show willingness to re-engage in dialogue.

North Korea rejected overtures for dialogue from the new administration in Seoul, signaling that Pyongyang retains a hardline stance after the election of South Korean President Lee Jae Myung.