The South Korean President, Mr Kim Dae-jung, is to push ahead with his "sunshine" policy of engaging North Korea despite government turmoil over the handling of relations with Pyongyang.
On Tuesday the cabinet resigned en masse over a no-confidence vote taken against the Unification Minister, Mr Lim Dong-won. But yesterday, the Foreign Minister, Mr Han Seung-soo, said the president would proceed with his reconciliation policy "without any interruptions".
"This is the policy supported not only by the people of the world, but most of the people in South Korea," he said.
Mr Han told a news conference he interpreted a recent offer by North Korea to resume stalled reunification talks with the South in a "reconciliatory way".
He said he believed the visit by the Chinese President, Mr Jiang Zemin, to Pyongyang this week would support reconciliation.
Mr Han and the rest of President Kim's cabinet tendered their resignations on Tuesday following a vote in which the National Assembly passed an opposition motion to dismiss Mr Lim. President Kim is expected to name a new cabinet this week.