Seoul's Unification Minister Hong Yong-Pyo clarified that South Korea wants to continue inter-Korean exchanges even before North Korea agrees to give up its nuclear ambitions. 

During a meeting with journalist at the Seoul Foreign Correspondents' Club on Tuesday, Minister Hong said the the denuclearization of North Korea is not a precondition for inter-Korean relations.

Hong then explained that a large scale cooperation project with the North is impossible under the current UN sanctions against it. He added that making investments in the North can only take place after the North shows its sincerity towards denuclearization and the international community lifts its punitive measures.

During the meeting with foreign journalists, Hong also explained that the two Koreas will resume a meeting of their joint committee responsible for the management of the inter-Korean Gaeseong Industrial Complex on Thursday after being suspended for a year.

The minister said the Seoul government is making preparations for the two sides to hold sincere and serious discussions on pending management issues regarding the inter-Korean complex.