The unification ministry said it is consulting with related ministries on ways to open public access to data concerning North Korea, including the North's ruling party mouthpiece Rodong Sinmun.

At a press briefing on Friday, unification ministry deputy spokesperson Chang Yoon-jeong said Rodong Sinmun and many other data are currently classified as special documents and their access is limited to authorized agencies.

The government is accelerating procedures to expand public access after President Lee Jae Myung said during the ministry's policy briefing last week that the existing restriction treats the public as if they are easily fooled by propaganda and incitement.

Reclassifying Rodong Sinmun in the general document category is expected to be reviewed and finalized on Friday during a meeting between the ministry, the National Intelligence Service and other related agencies.

If the North Korean paper is placed in the general section, the public would be able to access it just like other publications.

However, access to the paper's online publication, as well as approximately 60 other North Korean websites would still be restricted under the Act on Promotion of Information and Communications Network Utilization and Information Protection.