North Korea’s leader, Kim Jong-un, has praised the “warm climate of reconciliation and dialogue” after a delegation returned from their three-day visit to the South for the Winter Olympics.

Kim expressed “satisfaction” over their visit, according to state media, and gave his gratitude for “sincere” and “very impressive” efforts made by Seoul to receive them. 

“It is important to continue making good results by further livening up the warm climate of reconciliation and dialogue created by the strong desire and common will of the North and the South with the Winter Olympics as a momentum,” he said. 

The omission signals the precarious nature of the offer, with both South Korea and the U.S. demanding Pyongyang consider making concessions on its nuclear program as a part of any future talks. 

Talk of an inter-Korean summit, which would be the first since 2007 if it happened, come after months of tension between Pyongyang, Seoul and Washington over North Korea’s nuclear and missile programmes. An exchange of fiery words between Kim Jong-un and the US president Donald Trump, raised tensions on the Korean peninsula. 

Tuesday’s report said Kim Jong-un gave “important instructions” for possible measures to maintain the atmosphere of conciliation and dialogue, without offering more details. 

Seoul said on Monday that it would push ahead with its plans for reunions of family members separated by the 1950-53 Korean war in order to sustain the dialogue prompted by the North Korean delegation’s visit. 

(Source: The Guardian)