The United States and South Korea are working in various ways to resume denuclearisation negotiations with North Korea, said South Korean Unification Minister Kim Yeon-chul on Tuesday.
"The overall situation shows that we are facing a lull, but I think you should know that we are working in various ways to resume negotiations. South Korea and the US are also sharing the need for keeping the situation under control," he said during a briefing here.
Kim also outlined the importance of providing humanitarian aid to North Korea. "A hungry child knows no politics," he said while quoting former US President Ronald Reagan, according to Yonhap News Agency.
The South Korean official's comment comes as talks regarding denuclearisation have been stalled between the United States and North Korea following the second summit between the two states, which ended abruptly in Vietnam in February earlier this year.
The two sides reportedly failed to resolve their differences on sanctions relief, which led to the summit ending earlier than scheduled. In fact, no joint agreement was issued following the talks.
Meanwhile, South Korean President Moon Jae-in on Tuesday highlighted that the "firmness" of the US-South Korea relationship showed in their response to North Korea's recent projectiles launches.
The launches are largely being perceived as a sign of frustration on part of the reclusive state, which has been demanding sanctions relief in exchange for the steps it has taken towards denuclearisation. The United States, meanwhile, has stood firm in its stance of only providing sanctions waivers once complete denuclearisation of the Korean Peninsula is achieved.