Seoul's Unification Minister Ryoo Kihl-jae says that, while there is no trust between the two Koreas at this time, it can be seen an opportunity to make a fresh start.

The minister held a news conference Wednesday with Korean and international journalists to explain Seoul's North Korea policy, dubbed the "Korean Peninsula Trust-building Process."

Ryoo said that currently the inter-Korean trust level is pretty much below zero, but he stressed the conditions ironically offer the Koreas the chance to restart their relationship on a new footing.

The minister then explained the administration's North Korea policy is based on the three pillars of improving inter-Korean relations, establishing regional peace and the groundwork for the future reunification of the two Koreas. 

He said that building inter-Korean trust is the key to the three principles, and trust can only be formed gradually through cross-border exchanges and cooperation. He also stressed that North Korea will have to pay a stiff price if peace is broken under the trust-building initiative.

The Unification Minister also touched on the issue of resuming the South's tours to the Mount Geumgang resort, saying that conditions are not complicated to reopen the suspended program. However, he stressed that there is a need to consider the issue in the greater context of the inter-Korean relations. 

Since shutting down the tour program some five years ago, Seoul has been urging the North, as a precondition, to come up with measures to guarantee the safety of tourists.