The government says it is seeking ways to resume the construction of a suspended light-water reactor project in North Korea once the nuclear issue shows signs of settlement.

A government official said South Korea wants to complete the construction of two light water reactors on condition that North Korea uses them only for generation of electricity, not for military purposes.

The condition also includes the immediate transfer of spent fuel rods from the light water reactors to a third country, so that North Korea cannot reprocess them for weapons' manufacturing.

The government is also seeking ways to strictly monitor North Korea's import of uranium, the fuel for light-water reactors, to make sure that it can be imported only in small quantities to prevent mass storage of the material in the North.

The government plans to propose the ideas to the United States as part of efforts to resolve the North's nuclear issue.