N. Korean newspaper stresses self-reliance after collapse of nuclear talks

North Korea 16:27 March 08, 2019

SEOUL, March 8 (Yonhap) -- North Korea's main newspaper on Friday called on its people to stay self-reliant as hopes for sanctions relief were dashed with the breakdown of last week's summit between leader Kim Jong-un and U.S. President Donald Trump.

"National independence is the shortcut to power and prosperity whereas relying on foreign forces is a path to subordination and national ruin," the Rodong Sinmun newspaper said in an editorial.

"At a time where imperialists' abuse of power dominates, we should stick to self-reliance in order to achieve our nation's independent development," it said.

The editorial came one week after the Feb. 27-28 summit ended without an agreement as the two leaders failed to narrow differences over the scope of Pyongyang's denuclearization steps and Washington's sanctions relief.

After the summit, Trump blamed Pyongyang for demanding sanctions be lifted "in their entirety" while offering to denuclearize "less important" areas than the U.S. demanded.

North Korean officials refuted the claim, saying that they just asked for partial sanctions relief in exchange for permanently dismantling all fissile material facilities at the country's Yongbyon complex in the attendance of American experts.