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| South Korea's minister in charge of inter-Korean stressed that Seoul is ready to talk with Pyongyang anytime, with every agenda left open, and called on it to respond to the offer positively as well. South Korean unification minister Lee In-young speaking at the 6th Eastern Economic Forum, Sept. 2, 2021 (Photo by=Ministry of Unification) |
[Asia News = Reporter Reakkana] SEOUL/GIMPO: While visiting an estuary of the Han River near their western border, South Korea's minister in charge of inter-Korean ties expressed hope Wednesday for multisided implementation of existing agreements between the two Koreas, as he visited an estuary of the Han River near their western border.
He reaffirmed Seoul's resolve not to cease efforts to bring lasting peace to the peninsula and achieve co-prosperity. "(We) are at a crossroads between headway toward a peace cycle and deadlock," Unification Minister Lee In-young said while attending a trial navigation event at a port in Gimpo. "The (security) situation is still fluid, but we will not stop trying to completely end the war on the Korean Peninsula and achieve co-prosperity." The North has been sending mixed signals when it comes to inter-Korean relations. Early this month, it restored inter-Korean communication channels following a series of missile tests.
The minister said the government will respond to Pyongyang's statements and actions in a calm and prudent manner on the basis of comprehensive analysis. He attached meaning to the resumption of the cross-border hotline operation and voiced hope for the multisided implementation of inter-Korean accords, including that on the estuary. Lee raised the possibility that South Korea will explore ways to cooperate with North Korea on the use of the estuary even before international sanctions on the regime are fully lifted.
