The United States can help break the impasse in denuclearization talks with North Korea without sanctions relief if it allows humanitarian businesses in the communist nation to go forward, a special adviser to President Moon Jae-in said Monday.   

Moon Chung-in, a special presidential adviser for unification, foreign and security affairs, made the remark during a lecture in Seoul, reiterating President Moon's earlier remark that rewards for the North's denuclearization steps do not necessarily have to be a relaxation of sanctions.   

"Many American citizens wish to conduct humanitarian businesses in North Korea, but cannot due to government restrictions," the adviser said. "Relieving those restrictions could send a fairly positive message to North Korea."