An agreement last year by the leaders of the two Koreas to restart joint cooperation at the Mount Kumgang tourism resort remains valid, South Korea's unification minister said Monday, urging the two countries to resolve ongoing tensions over the future of the area in a "wise fashion."

Speaking at a briefing of senior local journalists in Seoul, minister Kim Yeon-chul said that despite the current disagreement between Seoul and Pyongyang over the future of the Kumgang resort, there remains room for the two to cooperate on the site.