The head of the state spy agency said efforts to bring North Korea back to the negotiating table could gain momentum if the U.S. "boldly" offers COVID-19 vaccines from its own supply.

During a security forum held in Seoul on Monday, National Intelligence Service(NIS) Director Park Jie-won said the pandemic has forced the North to go under a complete lockdown, making engaging via talks difficult, much less holding in-person meetings. 

Referring to how Pyongyang has no plans to vaccinate its people after refusing shots from the global vaccine-sharing COVAX Facility initiative, the NIS chief also called on North Korea to cooperate with the international community to overcome the crisis.

Park indirectly urged the U.S. to show interest in lifting sanctions concerning the North Korean people's livelihoods, saying such a move could help resume dialogue to advance the peace process on the Korean Peninsula.

He also called on Pyongyang to return to talks on declaring a formal end to the Korean War and other key issues of concern.