"We should completely block the influence of outside forces, which have brought division to us," the newspaper said in its commentary.

The article comes as newly elected President Moon Jae-in is taking a dual-track approach toward denuclearizing, with an emphasis being placed not only on guarding against further provocations but finding middle ground through inter-Korean dialogue and civilian exchanges.

But Pyongyang has rejected South Korean civic groups' move to resume exchanges, dampening Moon's efforts. North Korea called on Seoul to implement the two inter-Korean summit declarations on reconciliation before it seeks civilian inter-Korean exchanges.

On June 15, 2000, then-South Korean President Kim Dae-jung and his North Korean counterpart Kim Jong-il held a historic summit in Pyongyang. It produced a landmark agreement on inter-Korean reconciliation and cooperation.

The North's paper said in a separate commentary that the South is wrong to allow civilian inter-Korean exchanges while employing pressure and sanctions on Pyongyang.

"South Korea's current government is following in the footsteps of its (conservative) predecessor by saying it will fully implement the international sanctions," it claimed. (Yonhap)