'Resuming denuclearisation talks with N Korea key agenda'

South Korean President Moon Jae-in on Thursday said that resuming the process of denuclearisation with North Korea at his forthcoming meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un next week is the key priority.

Speaking to a special group of advisers, Moon was unperturbed by the stalled denuclearisation talks between North Korea and the United States, saying that he remained optimistic.

"I do not hold a pessimistic view on the current situation. Though working-level negotiations may be sluggish, the leaders of North Korea and the United States are repeatedly reaffirming their faith in each other," he was quoted by Yonhap News Agency as saying.

Speaking on his upcoming trip to Pyongyang for the third inter-Korean summit, slated to be held from September 18 to 20, Moon underlined that he would discuss on enhancing inter-Korean ties and ways of reducing tensions on the Korean Peninsula.

"As you may know, one (of the objectives of the North Korea trip) is to continue developing the inter-Korean relations, and the other is to promote North Korea-US dialogue aimed at denuclearisation of the Korean Peninsula," he added.

The South Korean president said that North Korea took "practical steps" to not conduct any nuclear tests and has refrained from any sort of provocations since November last year, according to the report.

Moon continued, "North Korea has promised complete denuclearisation and has taken various practical measures toward that end. It promised not to stage any additional nuclear or missile tests, and has, in fact, refrained from any provocations since November last year."

He reiterated that Washington should continue to engage with Pyongyang in the process of denuclearisation and implement the agreements made during the meeting between Kim and US President Donald Trump in Singapore earlier in June.

Moon's comments come as North and South Korea are preparing to launch their joint liaison office on Friday with an aim to bolster inter-Korean cooperation and improve cross-border exchange and contacts.