South Korean Presidential Office Doubts Kim's Soon Visit to Country

Yoon Young-chan, the top press secretary of the South Korean presidential office, said on Sunday that there was no evidence of progress on the possible visit of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un to the South.

"No headway has been made so far, and there is nothing to announce," Yoon said as quoted by the Yonhap news agency. According to the South Korean presidential office, however, the visit still can take place by year's end.

In September, when South Korean President Moon Jae-in traveled to Pyongyang for talks with his North Korean counterpart, Moon made a reciprocal invitation to Kim to visit South Korea. According to South Korean media, preparations are ongoing in the country to receive the North Korean leader.

Relations between Seoul and Pyongyang began to improve after a historic summit between Moon and Kim in April after more than a year of rising fears of war over North Korea's nuclear weapons program. The South and North Korean leaders also met in May and September.