Minister says Seoul doing utmost for resumption of U.S.-N. Korea talks

"The resumption of U.S.-North Korea negotiations is an important priority," Kim told a meeting with foreign journalists in Seoul. "In order to make progress on inter-Korean talks for peace and mutual prosperity on the Peninsula, the U.S.-North Korea relations should make progress as well,"

"The unification ministry is exerting its utmost efforts to set conditions for the resumption of U.S.-North Korea dialogue through inter-Korean relations," Kim added.

Nuclear talks between North Korea and the U.S. have been stalled since their February summit ended without a deal as they failed to find common ground over Pyongyang's denuclearization steps and Washington's sanctions relief.

The scant progress in denuclearization negotiations is taking its toll on inter-Korean relations, putting a brake on major cross-border cooperative projects for months.

Seoul is pushing to break the deadlock in denuclearization talks by holding an inter-Korean summit with North Korea but Pyongyang has been mum on the offer for dialogue.

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