The unification minister has stressed that the so-called May 24 sanctions can be lifted only if North Korea takes responsible steps.
 
Hong Yong-pyo said during the National Assembly’s question and answer session with government officials on Tuesday that if no responsible steps are taken by the North, incidents similar to the sinking of the Cheonan naval corvette could occur again.
 
The minister said that in order to lay the foundation for a peaceful unification, wrongdoings should be corrected and responsibility must be taken, adding only then inter-Korean exchanges continue to take place.
 
Regarding an inter-Korean summit, Hong said the president has reiterated that the South’s basic position is that any dialogue can be held, however, such dialogues must be of substance.
 
On whether Seoul plans to hold unofficial contacts with Pyongyang, Hong stopped short, saying only that Seoul is considering various ways to improve inter-Korean ties.