A high-ranking official says the government will commence its investigation into the recent killing of a South Korean tourist once an assessment of North Korea’s attitude and public opinion on the matter is complete.

The official told reporters on Thursday that Seoul will consider various approaches to shed light on the shooting. However, he would not specify what the actions might be.

The official also said the government has no plan to halt tours to the North Korean city of Gaeseong, given the project's significance to inter-Korean relations.

The official hopes Pyongyang will cooperate with the investigation and move to promote future inter-Korean ties.