A Japanese daily says the United States has pressed South Korea to resume inter-Korean dialogue hinting that the U.S. may pursue bilateral talks with the North before South-North talks.

Japan’s Asahi Shimbun cited a South Korean government official saying that U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton urged South Korean Foreign Minister Kim Sung-hwan during talks last month to contact the North at the upcoming ASEAN Regional Forum.

The daily also said that Washington hinted it could pursue bilateral talks with the North to persuade the communist nation to engage in dialogue with the South if there are no signs the two Koreas will resume talks.

However, an official in Seoul said that Seoul and Washington share the view that inter-Korean talks should come first, adding now is the time to wait and watch for a possible inter-Korean contact at the ARF since the South has already offered dialogue.

The 18th ASEAN Regional Forum is being held Saturday in Bali, Indonesia.