South Korean President Moon Jae-in is calling for the United States and North Korea to "make bold decisions" to achieve the goal of "complete denuclearization" of the Korean peninsula.
During a meeting with his cabinet in Seoul Tuesday, President Moon said convincing the North to abandon its nuclear weapons program is "an issue that should fundamentally be resolved through negotiations" between Washington and Pyongyang.
U.S. President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un signed an agreement during their historic summit in Singapore in June for the North to dismantle its nuclear program.
But the two sides are at an impasse over the pace of North Korea ending its nuclear and missile development programs, prompting President Trump to cancel Secretary of State Mike Pompeo's trip to North Korea last month.
Moon told his cabinet that Seoul must serve as an intermediary between the United States and the North "until talks and communication...become more active," adding that Trump and Kim have asked him to serve in this role.