“China has played the role of mediation for a long time and as such, we expect China to exert great power of persuasion,” she was quoted as saying during the meeting.

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has offered to hold an inter-Korean summit in Pyongyang via his sister Kim Yo-jong, who visited the South last week to attend the PyeongChang Winter Olympics. Moon responded cautiously that the two sides should create necessary conditions to make the summit happen.

Choo explained the Moon administration wants North Korea and the United States to resume dialogue over the nuclear programs, possibly before the proposed top-level talks between the two Koreas.

Fu praised fresh inter-Korean reconciliation through the Winter Olympics.

“As long as the PyeongChang spirit holds, peace will be guaranteed and much can be achieved. I hope Seoul leverages the improved inter-Korean ties to play a mediator’s role in the international community,” she was quoted as telling Choo.

Choo is set to attend a session on nuclear security as a panelist Saturday afternoon in the conference, which opened Friday for a three-day run with the participation of some 500 officials and experts from around the world. (Yonhap)