SEOUL, Oct. 24 (Yonhap) -- South Korean Foreign Minister Kim Sung-hwan on Wednesday urged North Korea's new leadership to give up its military-first policy and put resources that it lavishes on the armed services toward improving the livelihood of its own people.

Analysts and government officials in South Korea have searched for any signs of economic reform since the North's new leader Kim Jong-un succeeded his late father, Kim Jong-il, last December. Still, they are skeptical over whether the young Kim would be serious about opening up the communist country to foreign influences outside of his control.