The unification ministry has ordered budget cuts for two of its agencies dedicated to inter-Korean exchange and economic cooperation affairs.

Speaking to reporters Tuesday, a ministry official said the order was given to the Gaeseong Industrial District Foundation and the South-North Korea Exchanges and Cooperation Support Association last month.

The official said the agencies must begin to prepare for high-level restructuring in light of a reduced workload and the government's plan to curtail their overall budgets next year.

The suspension of activity at the inter-Korean Gaeseong Industrial Complex and the lack of cross-border exchanges were cited as the reasons behind the latest directive.

On whether the unification ministry will see organizational changes, the official said the new vice minister who just took office on Monday is expected to initiate related internal efforts in the coming days.