South Korea rejected an invitation from the North to begin peace talks, calling the proposal insincere.

The North requested "unconditional and early" talks with rival South Korea, Wednesday, in hopes of putting an end to months of tension between the two countries.

"We are ready to meet anyone, anytime and anywhere, letting bygones be bygones, if he or she is willing to go hands in hands with us," officials said in a statement carried by the North's official Korean Central News Agency.

South Korea quickly rejected the offer, calling the gesture more of a publicity stunt than a serious request.

"We don't consider it as a sincere offer of dialogue," ministry spokeswoman Lee Jong-joo said

Officials in the South said they're still waiting for an apology from North Korea for an attack on a South Korean island in November that killed four people.

The recent attack was the first on a civilian area since the 1950-53 Korean War.