South Korean presidential adviser: Many hurdles ahead to resolving North Korea issue

SEOUL, Feb. 21 (UPI) -- A South Korean presidential security adviser has cautioned there is a long road ahead to resolving the North Korea crisis, amid optimism that inter-Korean relations have improved, Maeil Business Daily reported.

Moon Chung-in, the South Korean president's special adviser on foreign affairs and national security said Tuesday that while many say the Pyeongchang Olympics has brought about a significant change to South-North relations, the two Koreas are only in the beginning stages of building bridges.

"There are too many hurdles to creating a post-Pyeongchang situation where the 'peaceful Olympics' [mood] can be sustained," he said.

Moon noted that various factors such as the North's continued nuclear provocations and Washington's military threats against the North had hindered the two Koreas from engaging in dialogue, even up until last year.

He attributed the recent progress in cross-border ties to Washington's continued pressure on Pyongyang combined with the South Korean President's Moon Jae-in's "sincere stance" on dialogue.

The advisor stressed that, now, there needs to be "a certain level of peaceful coexistence and rebuilding of trust" to further build inter-Korean ties.

Moon added that talks between the United States and North Korea were essential to overcoming military tensions and that such dialogue should eventually lead to the restoration of Six Party Talks on the North Korean nuclear crisis, Yonhap reported.