Vice Unification Minister Shin Un-sang said Wednesday that the government’s resumption of aid to North Korea was separate from energy assistance to be provided under a multilateral agreement reached at the six-party talks.

Shin said assistance under the six-way framework will be discussed in multi-party working groups.

Regarding the government's proposal to renew inter-Korean talks on Thursday, the vice minister said that Seoul proposed the meeting because it expected the six-party talks to bear fruit and because it didn't want to let the strained inter-Korean relations continue.

On Monday, Seoul proposed the renewal of high-level contacts with Pyongyang even as six-party negotiators were struggling to reach a deal. Working-level officials will meet Thursday to prepare the minister-level talks, which could come as early as late February.

At the upcoming ministerial talks, the two Koreas are expected to discuss various pending issues, including a test-run of the cross-border railroad, reunions of separated families and resumption of rice and fertilizer assistance.