Unification Minister nominee Lee In-young says he is willing to visit North Korea as a special presidential envoy to resolve the current impasse in inter-Korean ties. 

He made the remark at his National Assembly confirmation hearing on Thursday in response to minor opposition People’s Party lawmaker Lee Tae-kyu, who posed a hypothetical question. 

The nominee, who formerly served as the ruling Democratic Party’s floor leader, said if he meets with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un in Pyongyang, he will first try to restore inter-Korean dialogue. 

Lee added he will also spare no time to restore trust between Seoul and Pyongyang through humanitarian exchanges and cooperation and implement inter-Korean agreements and promises. 

When asked whether he has any proposal for Kim to improve Washington-Pyongyang relations, the nominee said he would urge the North to move to improve the strained bilateral relations even if the country cannot win all that it wants. 

He said the North may lose a golden opportunity and will have to wait a long time before getting such a chance again.