South Korea’s Moon Jae-in says ‘desperate need’ for ways to improve ties with North

Seoul: There is a “desperate need” for practical ways to improve ties with North Korea, the South’s President Moon Jae-in said on Tuesday, adding that he was ready to meet with the reclusive leader Kim Jong-un in Pyongyang repeatedly if necessary.

Moon, sidelined from his leading role in the diplomatic effort with North Korea in 2018, said he regretted the past year’s lack of progress in negotiations.

In an annual New Year’s speech in Seoul, Moon called for new talks with Kim Jong-un, and vowed to keep up work to facilitate US-North Korea communication. “In a time of deadlock in US-North Korea talks - and where we are even concerned about a step backward in inter-Korean relations - we are in desperate need of practical ways to improve inter-Korean cooperation,” he said.