The government has expressed gratitude to North Korea for its swift and active cooperation in last week's rescue operation for the missing crew of a South Korean cargo ship that sank in waters off North Korea's east coast.

Unification Minister spokesman Kim Hong-jae said on Friday that Seoul expresses deep gratitude for North Korea promptly permitting a South Korean search and rescue vessel to pass through Northern territorial waters to the scene of the accident.

The spokesman also expressed hope that from a humanitarian standpoint, the two Koreas will closely cooperate should a future maritime accident occur in territorial waters.

The South Korean cargo ship Pioneernaya with 18 crew members aboard sank last Thursday.