UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has hailed the proposal by South Korea to hold inter-Korean talks and urged the North to accept the offer.
 
In a statement issued Monday by his spokesperson’s office, Ban said he “sincerely hopes” that North Korean authorities “positively consider the proposal and engage in dialogue.”
 
It said “the Secretary-General reiterates his belief that renewed engagement and dialogue is the only way forward for building trust and promoting inter-Korean relations.” It added that the UN chief will make every effort to support meaningful engagement between the two Koreas.
 
The statement came after South Korea’s Unification Minister Ryoo Kihl-jae proposed on Monday that the two Koreas hold high-level talks on matters of mutual interest in Seoul or Pyongyang next month.