By Park Gil-ja and Yoon Sojung
Photos = Cheong Wa Dae

President Moon Jae-in on Dec. 1 said the possibility remains open for North Korean leader Kim Jong Un to make a reciprocal visit to Seoul this year.

"It’s up to Chairman Kim," the president told journalists inside the presidential plane while flying to New Zealand, the final leg of his overseas trip, from Argentina after wrapping up his itinerary at the G20 Leaders' Summit.

He said he and U.S. President Donald Trump shared the common understanding that a reciprocal visit by Kim will serve as positive momentum for denuclearization talks between Pyeongyang and Washington.

This year’s G20 summit in Buenos Aires ran from Nov. 30 to Dec. 1 under the theme "Building Consensus for Fair and Sustainable Development." The event was attended by leaders of G20 member states and seven other invited countries and the heads of ten international organizations.

President Moon told the participating leaders that his administration will achieve the G20’s goal of "strong, sustainable and balanced growth" through implementing policies promoting a people-centered economy backed by a fair economy and innovative and income-led growth.

In the first session of the leaders’ meeting under the theme "Putting People First," President Moon said, "Pursuing both innovation and inclusiveness through a people-centered Fourth Industrial Revolution is the only solution to economic inequality." 

In the retreat session of the G20 meeting under the theme "Fair and Sustainable Future," he said, “The principle of free trade should be firmly adhered to and joint efforts are also needed for reform of the (World Trade Organization) to promote fair trade." 

President Moon also focused on diplomacy to establish peace on the Korean Peninsula through a series of summits with the U.S., Argentina, the Netherlands, a non-permanent member of the U.N. Security Council, and South Africa, which will serve as a non-permanent member of the council next year.





krun@korea.kr