South Korea’s unification minister has urged Pyongyang to take seriously Seoul’s sincere vision of joint prosperity of the two Koreas and join efforts to usher in a better future for both sides. 

Speaking at a forum in Seoul on Wednesday, Unification Minister Kim Yeon-chul said the South Korean government will work patiently to actualize an East Asia railway community by connecting the two Koreas via rail.  

Kim said that despite a slowdown in inter-Korean exchanges this year, including a joint project to modernize and connect the railroads, an inter-Korean railway is the future.

He said the railroad will usher in the era of the "peace economy" on the Korean Peninsula. 

The remarks come amid stalled denuclearization talks between Washington and Pyongyang and follow a series of weapons and rhetorical provocations by North Korea.