The Ministry of Unification in Seoul said Thursday that the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) has proposed joint research on Baekdu Mountain, a dormant volcano on the border between the DPRK and China.

The ministry said the DPRK sent a letter of proposal to the director of the Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA) late Thursday.

"We understand that cooperation between the two sides is necessary for the DPRK's proposal and will review the issue," the ministry said.

The 2,774-meter-high volcano has been dormant since 1903, but experts have suggested that it could erupt in the near future given increasing seismic activities near the mountain.