Seoul's unification ministry says North Korea has yet to reopen its land border with China despite signals indicating eased measures.

In a Monday briefing, ministry spokesperson Lee Jong-joo said that signs of preparations to resume trade between North Korea and China, such as inspections, have been detected, but it has not yet reached a level that can be characterized as "trade has resumed" or "the shuttered border has been reopened."

Lee said South Korea believes preparations to reopen the land border are in the final stages, but it's difficult to predict the exact time as that will be determined by the two countries.

Lee said Pyongyang easing its lockdown would create better conditions for cooperation between the two Koreas and with the international community.

The spokesperson also expressed regret over little progress in substantive inter-Korean dialogue or regarding Seoul's proposal to set up a virtual conferencing system. However, she added that daily cross-border phone calls through the liaison office have been ongoing since early October.