The government has proposed to North Korea that they hold formal talks to address the issue of separated families.

In a statement on Thursday, unification minister Kwon Young-se officially proposed that the two Koreas hold talks on families separated by the Korean War.

Kwon called for North Korea’s swift and positive response so that the two sides can begin dialogue, stressing that differences in ideologies and governing systems must not keep families apart.

He said the government will engage in discussions with an open mind and actively take into account any conditions that the North puts forth in adjusting the date and venue for the proposed meeting.

Emphasizing the urgency of the issue, the minister pointed out that some 400 members of separated families pass away in a single month and most of the remaining 40-thousand are in their 80s or 90s.

Kwon said it isn't enough to hold one-time reunions involving a limited number of people and that the two sides should come up with a sustainable solution.

The unification ministry is also trying to send a letter from Kwon to Ri Son-kwon, head of North Korean ruling Workers’ Party’s United Front Department, which oversees inter-Korean relations.

Kwon said that the government will persistently knock on its door, even if Pyongyang ignores or rejects the offer.