SEOUL: South Korea's Unification Minister Chung Dong-young said Friday the ministry aims to take a leading role in establishing policies toward North Korea.
In a policy briefing to South Korean President Lee Jae Myung, Chung said the ministry, which is in charge of relations with Pyongyang, would "strengthen its leading role as a party directly involved in the Korean Peninsula issue, " Yonhap News Agency reported.
Chung also said international sanctions imposed on North Korea over its illegal nuclear and missile programs have effectively lost their bite, adding the ministry will seek sanctions relief in a bid to reengage the country.