Foreign Minister Yu Myung-hwan on Wednesday called for patience in dealing with strained relations with North Korea.

The minister made the remark at a luncheon speech arranged by the American Chamber of Commerce in Seoul, noting that reacting to North Korean measures one by one would aggravate inter-Korean relations.

Following North Korea's cutoff of overland passage across the inter-Korean border, the minister said that the measures are related to North Korea's discontent and displeasure regarding South Korea's nuclear policy toward the North. The cutoff of overland passage seemingly aimed at pressuring the South to change its stance.

The minister also said that the six-party talks on ending the North Korean nuclear issue will turn inter-Korean relations in a positive direction.