SEOUL, December 22. /TASS/. Seoul is prepared to have dialogue with North Korea without any preconditions, South Korea’s Minister of Unification Cho Myoung-gyon said on Friday.
"We want to hold a frank dialogue with the North without preconditions over issues of concerns," Cho told reporters. The South Korean government is taking steps to restore ties with Pyongyang to help resolve North Korea’s nuclear problem, he said.
The minister also voiced hope that North Korea’s athletes will take part in the Winter Olympic Games in PyeongChang next year. This would be a good occasion for improving bilateral relations and starting the dialogue.
North Korea missed the deadline for filing an application to take part in the Olympics, but by mid-January it will be still able to send its athletes there.
The upcoming Olympics, which are 23rd Winter Games, will take place in South Korea’s PyeongChang on February 9-25, 2018.