“Forward-looking measures” from North Korea towards denuclearization are needed to break the deadlock in inter-Korean cooperation, South Korea’s foreign minister stressed Thursday.

Speaking at a special press conference, Minister of Foreign Affairs Kang Kyung-wha also said that DPRK leader Kim Jong Un’s recent orders to demolish South Korean-built facilities at the Mt. Kumgang resort appear to be an expression of “frustration.”

Despite Kim’s plans, Kang reiterated the government’s position to push forward with the development of inter-Korean relations within the international sanctions framework.

“My view is that [the order], to a certain extent, is an expression of frustration and disappointment that