South Korea's top diplomat promised to pull through new diplomatic challenges actively and creatively Monday after North Korea invited the South's president to an inter-Korean summit.

"There is a new diplomatic situation waiting for the foreign ministry after the PyeongChang Olympics," Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha told the newly appointed heads of overseas missions. "We need to muster all the power of our ministry to turn things around and move them forward."

Kang said she will carry out her obligations as the diplomatic chief with "active" and "creative" vision and ways of thinking.

She was apparently referring to the challenge in coordinating policy toward North Korea after its recent surprise offer of an inter-Korean summit.

On Saturday, the presidential office announced that North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has invited President Moon Jae-in to visit Pyongyang at the earliest convenient date. The message was delivered by Kim's sister, Kim Yo-jong, during a meeting with Moon at Cheong Wa Dae.

Experts say that it is critical for South Korea to get the US and other partners on board in its efforts to turn the current peace mood being created by the Olympics -- and the North's participation therein -- into meaningful steps to denuclearize the North, a task the foreign ministry is supposed to spearhead going forward.(Yonhap)