The South Korean government plans to streamline export and import approval procedures in a bid to promote trade with North Korea.

The Ministry of Unification made the announcement Tuesday, adding it will revise the rules and approval procedures for inter-Korean trade items subject to state approval.

Under the new rules, goods with low tariff rates, which pose no threats to the domestic market, would be exempt from government approval. Such goods include silk, pocket lighters and smokeless coal.

In addition, Seoul plans to reduce the number of days for processing trade approval applications from 15 days to ten days and for handling requests for changes in trade approval from ten days to five.

A ministry official said the move comes as a response to the obstacles created by the current inter-Korean trade approval requirements and the associated processing period for applications.