The ministry in charge of inter-Korean affairs said the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation(APEC) summit, set to kick off in Gyeongju on Friday, would be a good opportunity for the leaders of the United States and North Korea to meet.

Unification ministry spokesperson Koo Byoung-sam made the remark at a press briefing on Monday when asked about U.S. President Donald Trump's recent comment that he would like to meet North Korean leader Kim Jong-un during his visit to South Korea ahead of the APEC gathering.

Koo said that North Korean people have been reported to be cleaning and refurbishing facilities in Panmunjom, the venue of the most recent meeting between Trump and Kim in 2019.

The spokesperson added, however, that cleaning is not an unusual activity at the location. 
 
Koo, meanwhile, did not offer a concrete assessment of the impact of North Korean Foreign Minister Choe Son-hui's visits to Russia and Belarus on the chances of a Trump-Kim meeting.