Unification minister Lee In-young has called on North Korea to swiftly engage in dialogue and cooperation in a joint effort with South Korea to establish peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula.

Lee made the call on Thursday during an academic seminar in Seoul marking the 31st anniversary of the opening of the Korea Institute for National Unification.

The minister said if the North chooses nuclear weapons and missiles over dialogue, it would be very unfortunate for itself and for the future of its people.

Lee said the North is raising tensions on the peninsula with continued criticism of the South and military provocations, including its repudiation of its self-imposed moratorium on long-range missile launches.

He noted that the month of April will see the annual South Korea-U.S. joint military drill and the 110th anniversary of the birth of North Korea's late founder Kim Il-sung, events which Lee described as variables that could escalate military tensions between the two Koreas.