The government plans to focus on settling peace on the Korean Peninsula at the 16th inter-Korean ministerial talks set to open Tuesday in Pyongyang.

Kim Chun-sik, Director of the Inter-Korean Exchange and Cooperation Bureau of the Unification Ministry, made the remarks in a Monday news briefing.

Kim said that the upcoming inter-Korean Cabinet-level talks should serve as the starting point of discussions on the establishment of peace on the peninsula.

He added that the two sides have paved the way for reconciliation and cooperation since the landmark inter-Korean summit in 2000 and that cross-border economic and social cooperation should expand to other areas such as politics and the military.

The official also said that the four-day miniserial talks will deal with the issue of settling peace in a way that will have a positive influence on the six-way talks, which are scheduled to resume tomorrow.

However, Kim was quick to caution against expecting too much from the inter-Korean talks.