N. Korea rejects UN chief's call for inter-Korean dialogue after mine blast

North Korea on Tuesday rejected U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres' recent call to resume inter-Korean dialogue to ease tensions following September's mine blast near the border, accusing him of being "prejudiced and irresponsible." Kim Yo-jong, the powerful sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, made the rejection in a statement carried by the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA). Last week, the U.N. chief called for restoring communication channels between South and North Korea amid concerns over a potential escalation of tensions following the Sept. 21 explosion inside the Demilitarized Zone. That incident, blamed on mines planted by the North, wounded three South Korean soldiers, two of them seriously. "I express my regret over the fact that the top official of the U.N., which regards impartiality and objectivity as its lifeline, took such prejudiced and irresponsible attitude as echoing the ROK's unilateral and provocative sophism," Kim said. ROK is short for the Republic of Korea, South Korea's official name. She also accused the U.N. chief of "doubling-dealing," saying he had