The presidential office of Cheong Wa Dae says it is open to seeking another inter-Korean summit meeting. But it tempered the sentiment by quickly adding that such a summit would be pursued only in the event of a breakthrough in the North Korean nuclear standoff, or if such a summit were deemed likely to spark meaningful and important progress in resolving the atomic deadlock.

The statement issued Tuesday is a turnaround from the government's previous stance that it would look to hold such a summit only AFTER the nuclear issue had been fully resolved.

Cheong Wa Dae officials also said that even if another South-North summit were arranged, it would not be held anytime soon, asserting that the present is not the appropriate time and denying media reports that the government is pushing for an early inter-Korean summit.

The presidential office also said the government would try to promote trust and specific cooperative projects with the North, since progress in the nuclear standoff may lead to an improvement in South-North relations and vice versa.