South Korean President Park Geun Hye in her New Year��s press conference urged North Korea to ��no longer hesitate and accept the offer for dialogue.�� 

The press conference was held at the Presidential Office of Cheong Wa Dae on Monday. Proposing for reunions for separated families the president said, ��Given the age of separated family members who are still alive, it is an issue that cannot be further delayed. I hope the North will-- with an open heart-- accept our offer to hold family reunions around the Seol [Lunar New Year] holiday."

Pres. Park added, ��From fundamentally resolving the issue of separated families to finding ways to improve the quality of life for North Korean residents and recovering our shared national identity, I hope the South and North can put their heads together and open the doors for unification."

Saying that she hopes the two sides can hold a number of joint events to commemorate the 70th anniversary of liberation from Japan��s colonial rule, the president emphasized, ��Our government hopes to open up a path of real dialogue and cooperation through support and collaboration in the civil sector to improve inter-Korean relations and establish a foundation for peaceful unification.�� 

Pres. Park went on to stress the importance of upholding a strong ROK-U.S. alliance, reinforcing the nation's strategic partnership with China, pursuing stable ties with Russia, and seeking a new turning point in relations with Japan in light of the 50th anniversary of normalizing ties. 

Through these efforts, the president said she hopes to create a ��virtuous cycle of North Korea��s denuclearization and improvement in inter-Korean ties." ��I hope this year, the South and North will be able to peacefully and freely come and go and venture out to the bigger world of Eurasia," Pres. Park said.