Stalled talks may herald new inter-Korean relations: minister

South Korea's unification minister said Wednesday that the stalled inter-Korean talks represent growing pains that will help establish new inter-Korean relations vital for sustainable peace and cooperation.

In a meeting with reporters at the Office of South-North Dialogue, a day after the eleventh-hour cancellation of the high-level meeting, Ryoo Kihl-jae claimed the setback is part of the difficult process of establishing cross-border ties.

He also said that because no talks took place, the government failed to meet the expectations of the people. The policymaker, however, attributed the current situation to the North.

"If the North wants new inter-Korean relations (to move forward) it has to show its sincerity," Ryoo said.

The two sides had agreed on two days of talks in Seoul starting Wednesday so they could discuss various outstanding issues such as the normalization of the Kaesong Industrial Complex and the Mount Kumgang resort, but the meeting was called off at the last minute after both sides failed to compromise on the level of the chief representatives appointed by each side.

If the meeting took place it would have been the first since 2007 and may have started the process of easing tensions between the two sides.

Related to the talks that were called off, a source at the presidential official office said earlier in the day that President Park Geun-hye has long believed it is important to get things done under the right format.

The insider, who did not wish to be identified, said that the chief executive, who has made "trust building" the foundation of her North Korean policy, mentioned on several occasion that "format governs content."

After the talks were called off, the presidential office accused the North of trying to "impose submission and humiliation" on the dialogue partner, stressing that matching the grades of negotiation delegations is an international standard.

The comments reflect views held by the incumbent administration that past South Korean regimes had allowed "lower ranking" North Korean officials to sit as chief representatives at senior level talks. Seoul made clear on several occasions that it planned to correct such practices. (Yonhap News)