ISTANBUL

South Korea's new Unification Minister Chung Dong-young on Friday set a target of restoring communications with North Korea.

"Restoring communication channels and resuming dialogue (between the two Koreas) are tasks I must pursue as soon as possible," Chung told reporters before the inauguration ceremony, according to Yonhap News.

Chung underscored that restoring communication with North Korea is an "urgent priority."

"It has been six years since talks between South and North Korea were suspended, far too long a period," Chung said.

"The past three years have marked the worst point in inter-Korean relations, during which both sides responded to each other with animosity and confrontation," he said in a subsequent inauguration speech, noting that recovering the ministry's manpower is another priority.

He also called Seoul and Pyongyang's earlier decision to suspend mutual propaganda broadcasts the "first signal" of recovering inter-Korean trust.

This is Chung's second time serving as unification minister.