South Korea asks N. Korea to give up nuclear weapons

South Korean President Moon Jae-in has told North Korea to give up nuclear weapons at a National Prayer Group meeting on Thursday.

Amidst a gathering of 5,000 people Moon praised the role of the United States processes for the inter-Korean agreement to make the North Korea promise to suspend nuclear provocations during the North-South Korea dialogue.

According to the Yonhap news agency, Moon was quoted saying, "We have overcome one obstacle, while there exists many before we can reach lasting peace and the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula".

Earlier the, the South Korea's foreign ministry said, "Negotiations have kicked-off this week on renewing their existing arrangement which expires at the end of 2018".

North Korea has justified its nuclear strategy citing the presence of nearly 30,000 US military personnel in the South Korea.