U.S. security experts have underlined South Korea’s role in resolving the North's nuclear issue and have said that South Korea, the U.S. and China could hold bilateral talks with North Korea to address the matter. 
 
At a conference at the Brookings Institution in Washington on Tuesday, U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs Daniel Russel said South Korea must always play a vital role in addressing the North’s nuclear issue. He added that dialogue between the two Koreas is necessary.
 
He noted that the U.S. will also play an important part in tackling issues related to the Korean Peninsula, including the North’s nuclear ambitions.
 
Also at the conference, Robert Einhorn, who is a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution, said there is a possibility the U.S. will hold unofficial, bilateral talks with the North in an exploratory manner.
 
Einhorn, who served as the State Department's special adviser for nonproliferation and arms control, said discussions could also be held on ways for South Korea, the U.S. and China to respectively hold bilateral talks with the North.
 
Russel and Einhorn’s remarks come as Seoul has recently conveyed to Washington its intention to pursue dialogue with North Korea and as the need for dialogue to resolve the North’s nuclear issue is increasingly gaining support.