SEOUL - Chairman of the Republic of Korea's ruling Grand National Party said there would be a breakthrough in the sour relations between ROK and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea in November, reports said Tuesday.

Hong Joon-pyo's remark at a high-level party meeting was made in reference to the proposed construction of a gas pipeline to be built across the DPRK, according to local reports.

Russia and the two Koreas are currently in talks over building a gas pipeline designed to transport Russian natural gas through the DPRK to ROK, which seeks to import more Siberian gas starting in 2015.

Top DPRK leader Kim Jong-il has reportedly expressed his support for the project following his summit with his Russian counterpart, Dmitry Medvedev.

Hong reportedly told ROK's President Lee Myung-bak during their recent meeting that the governing party was willing to pursue appeasement with the DPRK, an apparent about-face for the conservative party.

Relations between the two Koreas, former wartime enemies, are at their lowest ebb following two deadly border incidents killed 50 ROK residents last year.