The Republic of Korea (ROK) proposed talks with the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) on how to handle the latter's Mount Kumgang resort, a key symbol of cooperation that Pyongyang recently criticized as "shabby" and "capitalist," Seoul's Unification Ministry said on Monday. 

"The government proposed that a working-level meeting be held between authorities (of the two sides) to discuss the issue raised by the North (DPRK) and the issue of Mount Kumgang tourism," Unification Ministry spokesman Lee Sang-min told reporters. 

Kim Jong Un, the leader of DPRK said last week it was a "mistaken idea" for Mt Kumgang to be viewed as a symbol of inter-Korean relations, underscoring that it is the DPRK's soil, and tourism there must not be under the control of the ROK, while inspecting the tourist spot on the east coast of the DPRK.

In response, Seoul's Unification Ministry, which oversees inter-Korean affairs, said it asked Pyongyang to hold a working-level meeting to discuss the issue. 

"Our consistent position is that all issues of inter-Korean relations should be resolved through dialogue and discussions," the spokesman told a briefing. 

"There needs to be sufficient consultations to reasonably resolve the issue since a unilateral step regarding our companies' property rights runs counter to public sentiment and may damage inter-Korean relations," he said. 

The proposal did not specify a date or venue for talks, Lee said. It was delivered to two state agencies, each handling cross-border issues and tourism, through a liaison office in the DPRK's border city of Kaesong. 

Mt Kumgang, along with the now-suspended industrial park in the DPRK's border town of Kaesong, has been one of the two major inter-Korean economic projects and regarded as a symbol of cooperation between the two countries.

It is unclear whether the DPRK  will accept the dialogue proposal as another criticism from the country came on Monday.

Uriminzokkiri, a DPRK's website, lashed out at Seoul for seeking cooperation from foreign countries for peace on the Korean Peninsula, saying the issue should be dealt with by none other than the two Koreas themselves.

ROK's President Moon Jae-in expressed gratitude for the international community's support for his peace drive when he hosted a reception for foreign ambassadors in Seoul earlier this month.

Commenting on recent situation in the Korean Peninsula, a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson told reporters at a regular press conference on Monday that China is willing to play a constructive role in the peace process of the Korean Peninsula.

The spokesperson noted that pressure and sanctions will not solve the problem, and only the political dialogue can work.

(Cover: Scenery of the Mt Kumgang in DPRK's border town of Kaesong, September 20, 2018. /VCG Photo)

(With input from agencies)