A special adviser to President Moon Jae-in says that if North Korea agrees to inspections of its Punggye-ri nuclear test site, the U.S. may respond with partial sanctions relief.

Moon Chung-in, special presidential adviser for unification, foreign and security affairs, made the remarks during a forum in Seoul held Thursday to discuss the Moon administration's Korean Peninsula peace initiative.

The adviser highlighted North Korean leader Kim Jong-un's declaration that two thirds of the Punggye-ri site has been demolished, and he urged Pyongyang to accept outside inspections as a "positive first move."

Moon said independent verification of the dismantlement of the test site will send a positive signal, and that U.S. President Donald Trump would respond, possibly with partial sanctions relief, as a corresponding measure.

Moon raised the possibility of additional sanctions relief that would allow the resumption of inter-Korean projects such as the Gaeseong Industrial Complex and the Mount Geumgang tourism program. 

He added that Moon may be able to persuade Trump over the issue when the two meet for a summit on April eleventh.