Let's start with that enticing offer from President Moon Jae-in.<br />He says it would be meaningful if North Korean leader Kim Jong-un joined a multilateral summit that'll be hosted by South Korea in November.<br />The South Korean leader also relayed a message to Japan,.. saying the flare up in tensions between Seoul and Tokyo should be dealt with diplomatically.<br />Shin Se-min reports.<br />South Korea's presidential office has expressed its openness to possibly inviting North Korean leader Kim Jong-un to the Korea-ASEAN special summit that will be held in South Korea's southeastern port city of Busan in November.<br />In a written interview with the Bangkok Post ahead of his week-long trip to three Southeast Asian nations from Sunday, President Moon said Kim's attendance "would be very meaningful" for peace on the Korean Peninsula and in East Asia.<br />But he added that any decision on the matter would depend on progress made in the Korean peace process and the nuclear talks between North Korea and the U.S.<br />What matters most he said,... is for the regime to "actually put denuclearization into concrete action."<br />He suggested ASEAN play a key role in urging North Korea to abandon its nuclear weapons program and to stand together through economic cooperation.<br />That idea of inviting Kim Jong-un to South Korea was first raised last year by Indonesian President Joko Widodo and was quickly endorsed by a number of regional leaders.<br />"When North Korea sincerely follows through on denuclearization measures, I hope to involve the North in ASEAN-related meetings and enhance bilateral exchanges with the regime."<br />Touching on the sudden uptick in Seoul-Tokyo tensions,... President Moon said he's ready to "embrace and cooperate with Japan" should it decide to return to the negotiating table.<br />He highlighted how Japan's trade measures not only damage South Korea, but the global economy as a whole.<br />He said ASEAN members should do what they can to "steer Japan to the path of dialogue and diplomatic consultation."<br />Shin Se-min, Arirang News.<br />
