"Russia has played a constructive role in inviting North Korea to dialogue, and we hope that Russia will play such a role in the future. We will undoubtedly cooperate in this area with Russia," Chung Eui-yong said following a meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov in Moscow.
The South Korean diplomat added that he and Lavrov agreed on joint actions to ensure the success of upcoming meetings between the leaders of South and North Koreas, as well as the US-North Korea summit.
READ MORE: Why Everything You Think You Know About North Korea is Wrong
Earlier in the day, the Dong-A Ilbo newspaper reported that Kim spoke about the intention to normalize relations with Washington during a meeting with a South Korean delegation in Pyongyang, noting that his final goal was to sign a peace agreement with the US and establish diplomatic ties, possibly including the opening of a US embassy in Pyongyang.
Moscow welcomed the announcement of a possible meeting between US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un as it is needed for the settlement of the nuclear crisis on the Korean Peninsula.
Meanwhile, a thaw in relations between the two Koreas began to show signs of life. Earlier in March, Chung Eui-yong, national security adviser to South Korean President Moon Jae-In, said following the meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in Pyongyang that the two countries had agreed to hold a summit in April.
The rapprochement on the Korean peninsula followed months of escalating tensions caused by Pyongyang's missile and nuclear tests carried out in violation of UN Security Council resolutions.
