ROK president urges resumption of dialogue with DPRK

SEOUL - Republic of Korea (ROK) President Moon Jae-in on Thursday called for the resumption of dialogue with the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) amid signs of de-escalating tensions on the Korean Peninsula.

Moon told a nationally televised press conference that dialogue between ROK and the DPRK should be resumed although it did not need to be made in a hurry.

More efforts and time would be needed to re-open that dialogue by ending the halt of inter-Korean talks in the past 10 years, Moon said.

For the past decade under conservative ROK governments, talks between ROK and the DPRK had almost been suspended over Pyongyang's nuclear tests and ballistic missile developments.

During the press conference to mark 100 days in office, Moon said dialogue could not be aimed at dialogue itself as any launch of talks should have conditions, under which that dialogue would bear good fruits.

Moon, who took office on May 10, said the dialogue atmosphere would be created should Pyongyang at least stop further provocations.

He said he could seriously consider dispatching a special envoy to Pyongyang if it helped improve inter-Korean ties and resolve the nuclear issue on the Korean Peninsula.