The Unification Ministry said now is a crucial time for Seoul to set the direction of the state of affairs on the Korean Peninsula toward dialogue and engagement. 

The ministry made the remark during an audit by the National Assembly’s Foreign Affairs and Unification Committee on Monday. 

It said while uncertainty remains on the peninsula, fluidity is growing in terms of changes regarding the situation in the region. 

In particular, the ministry stressed the need to keep a close eye on North Korea, noting that its leader Kim Jong-un has increasingly issued messages toward the U.S. 

Meanwhile, the Unification Ministry said once dialogue resumes, Seoul will seek to discuss the North’s demolition of the inter-Korean liaison office, and the fatal shooting of a South Korean civil servant by North Korean troops in the West Sea, both of which happened last year.