Unification Minister Kim Yeon-chul says individual tours to North Korea, turning the Demilitarized Zone(DMZ) into an international peace zone and reconnecting inter-Korean railways are feasible cooperation projects that can benefit both Koreas.

In an address on Monday marking the 51st anniversary of the founding of his ministry, Kim said progress in inter-Korean relations is a required condition in the establishment of peace on the peninsula.

The minister's remarks come after President Moon Jae-in reaffirmed his resolve to resume inter-Korean cooperation to facilitate stalled nuclear talks between Pyongyang and Washington during his New Year's press conference.

Kim said the situation surrounding the peninsula is not favorable amid a prolonged lull in inter-Korean ties and the coronavirus outbreak in the South, and highlighted the need to expand cross-border dialogue and cooperation.