Unification Minister Lee Jae-joung said Friday that the South Korean government will seek consistent inter-Korean economic cooperation in order to create a business-friendly environment at the Kaesong Industrial Complex.

In a speech to the European Union Chamber of Commerce in Korea, Lee said inter-Korean economic cooperation is a shortcut to achieving peace on the Korean Peninsula and minimizing the impact of a sudden reunification by narrowing the economic gap between the two Koreas.

In comparison with the EU’s integration which started with the forming a common coal and steel community, Lee said the projects for Mount Kumgang tourism and the Kaesong Industrial Complex has turned the once war-torn Korean Peninsula into a land of peace and prosperity.

Lee said that in order to make inter-Korean business projects more stable and predictable, they should be implemented consistently under the market system without being affected by political situations.

He added Seoul plans to build a 100,000 kilowatt power line and a telecommunication center at the Kaesong Industrial Complex.