South Korea's Unification Minister Hong Yong-pyo and North Korea's Minister of Foreign Trade Ri

Ryong-nam have been invited to an economic forum in Russia slated for next month, a Seoul government official said Monday.

"Russia invited Minister Hong and the North's minister in charge of economics to the Eastern Economic Forum that opens in Vladivostok earlier next month," the official said. "I am aware that our side has intentions to participate if the North does."

The first Eastern Economic Forum will take place in Vladivostok on Sept. 3 for a three-day run.

Ranking officials from Eastern Asian countries such as S. Korea, China and Japan will participate in the forum and discuss how to further strengthen economic cooperation.

Russia is reported to have invited both Hong and Ri to further discuss a key logistics project involving South and North Korea and Russia.

The so-called Rajin-Khasan logistics project is the symbol of trilateral cooperation between the two Koreas and Russia at a time when inter-Korean relations remain stagnant. (Yonhap)