Seoul, Sep 1 (IANS): South Korea Monday reaffirmed its reluctance to lift sanctions imposed against North Korea despite growing speculation about improving inter-Korean relations.

Unification ministry spokesman Lim Byeong-cheol said in a press briefing that there has been no change in South Korea's stance on sanctions imposed by South Korea in 2010, saying that these would stay until North Korea took responsible steps for reclaiming peace between the two Koreas, Xinhua reported.

On May 24, 2010, Seoul slapped economic sanctions on North Korea for its torpedo attack on a South Korean warship that killed 46 sailors.

The sanctions banned all inter-Korean exchange except for the joint factory park in North Korea's border town of Kaesong.

South Korea has proposed to hold a senior-level inter-Korean dialogue, to which North Korea has not yet responded, to discuss issues, including reunion of families separated by the 1950-53 Korean War.