South Korea is moving to streamline import procedures for food products from North Korea, a step that lays regulatory groundwork for renewed inter-Korean trade despite ongoing tensions and sanctions.

Seoul’s unification ministry said in a press release on Friday that it issued a legislative notice to revise enforcement of the Inter-Korean Exchange and Cooperation Act, describing the move as part of efforts to build a “practical institutional foundation” for restarting “small-scale inter-Korean trade.”

Under the proposed revisions, importers seeking approval to move North Korean food products would be required to submit documents equivalent to proof of overseas manufacturer registration