Unification Minister Lee Jong-seok has denounced North Korea for refusing to return to the six-nation nuclear talks.

In a news briefing Thursday, Lee said it’s also inappropriate to try to resolve the standoff over the North’s recent missile tests only through pressure and sanctions.

Lee said that despite difficulties in the wake of the North’s missile launches, the government will do its best to resume dialogue with patience and bring about a change in the deadlocked situation.

On the North’s unilateral cancellation of family reunions, Lee said the government is deeply sorry for the families who had been looking forward to the video reunions scheduled for next month.

He vowed that the government will do its utmost to reopen the reunions at the earliest date possible.

On Seoul’s suspension of rice and fertilizer aid to the North, Lee said the decision was not part of sanctions in line with the U.N. Security Council resolution condemning the North’s missile testing.

He stressed that Seoul had no choice but to make the decision after Pyongyang pushed ahead with the missile tests in defiance of Seoul’s repeated warnings not to do so. He added the South Korean public would not be supporting the idea of providing humanitarian aid to the North after its missile launches.