Seoul, Dec 19 (NationPress) South Korean President Lee Jae Myung has directed officials to organize a meeting of security ministers to enhance the alignment of the government’s approach towards North Korea, as announced by the presidential office.

This directive followed Lee's participation in private policy briefings from both the foreign and unification ministries, according to presidential spokesperson Kim Nam-jun, as reported by Yonhap News Agency.

Lee's directive comes against the backdrop of noticeable differences in policy direction between the ministries regarding North Korea under the current administration.

The foreign ministry has typically highlighted the necessity of consultation and collaboration with Washington in managing relations with Pyongyang, while the unification ministry has predominantly favored inter-Korean dialogue independent of US involvement.

Lee remarked that the differing perspectives among ministries should be seen as a positive aspect, asserting that each ministry’s unique stance enriches the variety of diplomatic and security strategies, as per Kim.

Earlier, South Korea's Unification Minister Chung Dong-young stated that the ministry intends to take a more proactive role in shaping policies towards North Korea.

During a policy briefing to President Lee Jae Myung, Chung emphasized that the ministry, responsible for relations with Pyongyang, will “enhance its leading role as a key player in matters concerning the Korean Peninsula.”

Chung also pointed out that international sanctions imposed on North Korea due to its illegal nuclear and missile activities have significantly diminished in effectiveness, stating that the ministry will pursue sanctions relief to re-engage with the country.

“To support inter-Korean and multilateral exchanges and cooperation, the ministry plans to discuss and seek the relaxation of sanctions,” Chung mentioned during the briefing.

“There are arguments advocating for stricter sanctions against North Korea, but realistically, these sanctions have lost their efficacy,” the minister expressed.

North Korea's trade with China, which constitutes the majority of Pyongyang's external trade, is now partially unscreened, while the regime perceives sanctions as “the most hostile” action against it, justifying the quest for sanctions relief.

He noted that attempting to engage in dialogue with North Korea while maintaining sanctions would not be acceptable to Pyongyang.