UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon is calling for the swift resumption of the deadlocked six-way nuclear talks.

Ban said in a year-end news conference held at UN headquarters in New York on Wednesday, local time, that he hopes all concerned parties engage in dialogue and try to promote a politically conducive atmosphere on the Korean Peninsula.

The UN Chief said the six-party talks played a crucial role in addressing the North Korean nuclear issue. He added the talks produced a joint denuclearization statement although it was never implemented.

Ban said it’s quite regrettable that the situation on the Korean Peninsula has not been moving ahead. He added that North Korea’s sinking of the South Korean naval vessel Cheonan and shelling of Yeonpyeong Island have escalated tensions and aggravated the situation.

However, Ban said that some diplomatic attempts have been made by concerned countries, like China, to revive the six-party talks. He said that as UN secretary-general and a South Korean citizen, he has also been trying to create a favorable atmosphere on the Korean Peninsula.