The South Korean government expressed condolences for the death of North Korea's former ceremonial head of state, Kim Yong-nam, on Monday.

In the message issued by Unification Minister Chung Dong-young on Tuesday, Seoul said Kim had helped catalyze the resumption of inter-Korean dialogue when he led a delegation to South Korea during the 2018 Winter Olympics.

Chung recalled his discussions with Kim about achieving peace on the Korean Peninsula and developing cross-border relations during visits to Pyongyang in June 2005 and in September 2018.

The minister also expressed condolences to Kim's family and officials inside the North Korean regime.

Though Seoul has delivered similar condolence messages to the North's senior officials via telegram in the past, it issued this announcement through the ministry's spokesperson, as Pyongyang has severed communication lines.