The government has said the door to inter-Korean dialogue remains open, on the heels of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un's New Year message that expressed intent to talk with Seoul.
 
In a phone interview with KBS on Friday, a Unification Ministry official said the government is determined to move toward an era of a peacefully unified Korean Peninsula.
 
The official urged North Korea to respect inter-Korean agreements and join the effort to usher in a unified era through cross-border trust.
 
Rival parties also welcomed Pyongyang's expressed will for inter-Korean dialogue.
 
Ruling Saenuri Party spokeswoman Shin Yee-jin asked Pyongyang to showcase its will through action by building trust and holding exchanges for peace on the peninsula.
 
Shin stressed that the August inter-Korean agreement must be implemented for North Korea's New Year message to be proven sincere. 
 
Spokesman Kim Sung-soo of the main opposition Minjoo Party of Korea also positively assessed the North's expressed will for dialogue.
 
He urged both Koreas to swiftly hold talks to improve relations and prepare for unification.