The South Korean government says that possible Pyongyang-Tokyo dialogue must contribute to creating a conducive environment for North Korea's denuclearization. 

A Seoul foreign ministry official on Friday addressed a statement issued by North Korean leader Kim Jong-un's sister, Yo-jong, who said the door is open for Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida to visit Pyongyang.

The official said Seoul maintains close communication with Tokyo on all issues pertaining to Pyongyang, including their future dialogue, and that such communication should be carried out in a way that's conducive to the North's denuclearization.

The official said the South, the U.S. and Japan are closely coordinating efforts to persuade the North to return to the path to denuclearization.

In a statement on Thursday, the powerful sister of North Korean leader Kim said that the door is open for Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida to visit Pyongyang, as long as Japan does not take issue with the regime's nuclear and missile development or raise the issue of Japanese abductees in the North.

While Kishida said earlier this week that multiple activities are taking place toward resolving the abductee issue at a summit with the North Korean leader, Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi said Friday that Tokyo can not accept the claim in the statement that the issue has been resolved.