Seoul: Unification Minister nominee Chung Dong-young on Monday raised the need to restore frayed relations between South and North Korea, and reestablish peace on the Korean Peninsula. Chung made the remarks during a parliamentary confirmation hearing as President Lee Jae Myung has vowed to mend strained inter-Korean ties and seek dialogue with North Korea.

According to Yonhap News Agency, Chung emphasized the importance of restoring inter-Korean relations, which he described as being in a state of ruin, and highlighted the necessity of reestablishing a peaceful coexistence system on the Korean Peninsula. At the start of the hearing, Chung called for the resumption of reconciliation and cooperation efforts with North Korea and stressed the need to find ways to faithfully implement agreements reached between the two Koreas.

Chung, who transitioned from journalism to lawmaking, was nominated last month as the first unification minister under the Lee Jae Myung administration. He previously served as unification minister in 2004-05 under former liberal President Roh Moo-hyun.