North Korea’s National Defense Commission (NDC) announced “a special offer to South Korean authorities” through the Korea Central News Agency (KCNA) on Monday to take steps towards reconciliation, cooperation and national prosperity between the Koreas.

Pyongyang insisted on a number of actions from South Korea to immediately improve relations including an end to hostilities, "intrusions" along the disputed maritime border in the Yellow Sea and the cancellation of the annual Ulchi-Freedom Guardian joint ROK- U.S. military drills set to be staged in August.