Unification Minister Lee In-young said Friday that South Korea has proposed talks with North Korea on setting up a video conferencing system.

In a press conference, Lee vowed to quickly establish a system to enable safe inter-Korean dialogue during the pandemic, as the first follow-up to the reconnected cross-border communication lines.

The minister said the South conveyed the proposal to North Korea on Thursday through the restored liaison office hotline and the North received the document containing the offer.

The Unification Ministry will also resume approving shipment requests from civic groups regarding aid assistance to Pyongyang, after they were deferred since the shooting death of a South Korean civil servant by North Korean soldiers in the North's waters last September.

Minister Lee said that two cases will be approved Friday afternoon and the government will continue to authorize humanitarian requests provided they meet requirements, given the urgent need for health and nutritional supplies in the North. 

Through the restored communication channels, Lee said Seoul will also seek to share information on natural disasters and infectious diseases.