Unification Minister Kim Ha-joong says that if the North complies with the South's request for talks, the two Koreas will be able to resolve the issue of a South Korean tourist's death at Mount Geumgang in July.

During a briefing on Wednesday, Kim said Hyundai Asan is doing all it can to break the deadlock over the issue and hopes tours to the Mount Geumgang resort will resume before its tenth anniversary on November 18th.

The tours have been halted for three months since the incident.

Kim also said that there is a definite food shortage in North Korea, although the seriousness of which is unknown.

Kim added that the government will continue to urge civic groups to stop sending anti-communist leaflets to the North.