National Assembly Speaker Chung Ui-hwa has called for restarting inter-Korean reconciliation and cooperation from the get-go. 
 
In a commemoration event marking the sixth anniversary of former President Kim Dae-jung’s passing at the Seoul National Cemetery, the speaker said he deeply regrets that the path to unification and peace that the late Kim opened has become trapped in a dark fog.
 
In his speech, Chung said South Korea must open the door for Korean unification in order to become an advanced nation and lead the 21st century.
 
While calling for "fastening the first button again" to restart inter-Korean reconciliation and cooperation, the parliamentary chief stressed the two Koreas must recognize their differences as well as continuously interact and help each other build trust.