Unification Minister Hyun In-taek said it is true that a secret inter-Korean meeting was held in Beijing.

Hyun said Thursday at the parliament’s question and answer session that the aim of the recent contact by South Korea with North Korea was to get the North to admit to the attacks on the Cheonan naval vessel and Yeonpyeong Island. The meeting was also to get an apology and a pledge to prevent future provocations from North Korea.

The minister said that since making North Korea apologize was the objective of the contact, the North’s claim that South Korean officials approached them in secret to hold inter-Korean summits is not true.

Hyun said that the South Korean government would not engage in secret meetings with North Korea with political considerations or objectives. He also said that North Korea should not have reacted by resorting to a leakage.