Top nuke envoys of S.Korea, Japan hold talks ahead of inter-Korean summit

SEOUL, April 23 (Xinhua) -- Top nuclear envoys of South Korea and Japan held talks in Seoul on Monday ahead of the summit between South Korea and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) later this week, South Korea's foreign ministry said.

Lee Do-hoon, chief negotiator who represents South Korea at the long-stalled six-party talks, met with his Japanese counterpart Kenji Kanasugi, the Seoul ministry said in a press release.

The Japanese diplomat shared with his South Korean counterpart the result of the U.S.-Japan summit held last week, while the South Korean side explained about preparations for the upcoming summit between the two Koreas.

South Korean President Moon Jae-in and top DPRK leader Kim Jong Un agreed to meet Friday at the border village of Panmunjom.

The two nuclear envoys shared assessments on recent positive changes in the Korean Peninsula situations, agreeing to make active efforts to make the inter-Korean and DPRK-U.S. summits held successfully.

The inter-Korean summit is forecast to be trailed by a meeting in May or early June between Kim and U.S. President Donald Trump.

The six-party talks to denuclearize the peninsula, which involved South Korea, the DPRK, China, the United States, Russia and Japan, have been halted since late 2008. Enditem