Seoul: The South Korean government has taken a significant step by allowing several humanitarian aid groups to establish contact with North Korea for humanitarian purposes. This move is part of an effort to resume civil-level inter-Korean exchanges, as reported by local media.

According to Yonhap News Agency, the unification ministry has approved the proposal of two nongovernmental organizations to engage with the North for humanitarian exchanges. This initiative marks a shift from the previous year when the Yoon Suk Yeol administration had suspended such exchanges due to rising tensions between the neighboring countries.

A South Korean unification official mentioned that the ministry intends to review similar requests from other private groups. This is part of a broader strategy to encourage a peaceful atmosphere through the restoration of civil-level communication and cooperation.

This development aligns with President Lee Jae Myung's recent commitment to "stop the exhausting hostilities" with North Korea and to resume inter-Korean dialogue and collaboration. Since being sworn in this month, President Lee has acted swiftly to reduce friction with the North, including halting South Korea's year-long propaganda loudspeaker campaign along the Demilitarized Zone. Reports suggest that North Korea has also silenced its loudspeakers in response.

On a related note, South Korea's nominee for the foreign minister, Cho Hyun, expressed his dedication on Tuesday to work towards establishing peace on the Korean Peninsula by facilitating dialogue between North Korea and the United States.