Prime Minister Kim Min-seok on Wednesday stressed that "the principle that we must resolve our own problems is the starting point" for addressing Korean Peninsula issues.
Kim made the remarks at an international forum held at the Seoul Global Center to mark the 37th anniversary of Reverend Moon Ik-hwan's visit to North Korea and the April 2 Joint Statement.
"It is also a reality that we do not have enough power to change the entire situation on our own, but reaffirming the principle that we must solve our own problems is the starting point for resolving all issues," Kim said.
Recalling his recent visit to the United States and meeting with President Donald Trump, Kim said he "confirmed that the U.S. side has more interest in dialogue with North Korea than is commonly thought."
"We discussed various approaches, and there were certain responses to them," he added.
Kim also reflected on his past ties with Reverend Moon Ik-hwan. "I remember the time I spent near him when he was at Cheongju Prison in 1986, housed in an adjacent cellblock," he said. "Exchanging greetings and hearing his words through prison guards was a process that made each day truly joyful."
Regarding Reverend Moon's 1989 visit to North Korea, Kim said it "transcended conventional wisdom, practice, and imagination, and that is precisely why it opened a significant new chapter in our history."