Commerce, Energy and Industry Minister Lee Hee-beom on Monday said the government will decide on cost sharing for the energy assistance to North Korea after factoring in the "peace" cost.

Seoul is apparently weighing the energy cost to that of peace and calculating a level it can afford, with Lee's comment hinting at the government's willingness to pay a high price for the assistance.

His remark is the first by a high-ranking official on how Seoul will pay for the supply of two million kilowatts of electricity to North Korea.