Seoul: North Korea may seek to strengthen its hostile stance against South Korea next year, the unification minister said Friday, urging efforts to resume dialogue with the recalcitrant regime. Unification Minister Chung Dong-young made the remarks as the government is seeking to mend frayed ties with North Korea while Pyongyang remains unresponsive to calls for dialogue after defining inter-Korean relations as those between "two states hostile to each other" in 2023.

According to Yonhap News Agency, the minister emphasized that confrontation, hostility, and hate should be eliminated to usher in a new era of peace on the Korean Peninsula through the restoration of peace, reconciliation, cooperation, and dialogue. Chung conveyed this perspective to lawmakers during a session of the parliamentary foreign affairs committee.

Chung further stated that the resumption of dialogue between Pyongyang and Washington will be a critical factor in creating an environment conducive to peace. He noted that the upcoming five months leading to the summit talks between the United States and China represent a crucial period and urged Seoul to actively engage in setting the stage for potential discussions.

Chung's comments are perceived as a call to action to facilitate a meeting between U.S. President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un. The anticipated encounter could take place when Trump visits Beijing in April for summit talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping.