South Korean President Lee Jae-myung reiterated the importance of restoring trust between the two Koreas on Monday, despite North Korea’s blunt declaration that it sees no reason to engage with Seoul under the new ROK president.

“It is important to restore trust between South and North in a peaceful atmosphere,” he said on Monday. 

The presidential office told NK News that Lee made remarks after presenting a certificate of appointment to new unification minister Chung Dong-young. 

Lee also reportedly asked Chung for his thoughts on a statement by the DPRK leader’s sister Kim Yo Jong earlier Monday, which dismissed the