It seems that the two Koreas ― especially the South ― are trying to break the years-long impasse in their bilateral relations.

The first sign of a possible thaw has come from the Unification Ministry in Seoul, which authorized a local civilian group’s plan to send 15 tons of fertilizer to North Korea. It is the first time in five years the Seoul government has approved a shipment of fertilizer aid.

The second development came from Lee Hee-ho, the widow of former President Kim Dae-jung, who is discussing with North Korean officials a plan to visit Pyongyang next month, an event she had to delay from last winter due to health concerns.

These two developments almost coincide with the end of the annual South Korea-U.S. exercises, which the Pyongyang government usually accuses as preparations for war against the North and thus freezes inter-Korean contacts.

The fertilizer aid, which is part of a 200 million won ($186,000) package of supplies for a greenhouse project, was delivered Tuesday by a group of South Koreans who are members of a private foundation. They will be visiting Sariwon in North Hwanghae Province until Saturday.

What is noticeable is that it marks the first time the Seoul government has approved the shipment of fertilizer to North Korea since it imposed sanctions on the North over a deadly torpedo attack against the Cheonan corvette in March of 2010. The so-called “May 24, 2010” sanctions ban most economic, cultural and human exchange programs with the North.

The go-ahead for the fertilizer shipment also followed the Unification Ministry’s decision last week to ease rules on eligibility for South Korean private groups seeking to provide humanitarian aid to North Korea.

Lee’s visit to North Korea will also surely sweeten relations between the two sides, especially because she is well accepted by North Korean leaders. Lee’s husband, the late President Kim, held the first-ever inter-Korean summit in Pyongyang in 2000, which culminated in his “sunshine policy” of engaging and reconciling with the communist North.

The former first lady, who visited Pyongyang for the summit and again in 2011 to attend the funeral of Kim Jong-il, promoted a plan to visit the North late last year, under the blessings from both President Park Geun-hye and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un. The plan was put off because of the health risks for the 92-year-old Lee traveling in winter.

Besides the fertilizer aid and Lee’s visit to the North, the inter-Korean relations definitely need more boosters if they are to make real progress.

Unification Minister Hong Yong-pyo said recently that he was counting on “more progress” in inter-Korean relations after April. We hope that Hong made the remarks on the basis of not only the recent developments, but also some contact ― behind closed doors ― the two governments might have had.