The North Korean attaché, in South Korea for the end of the Olympics, is a controversial character in the South, suspected by Seoul of having masterminded two attacks in 2010 that killed 50 South Koreans.

Moon spokesman Kim Eui-kyeom said the president urged that U.S.-North Korea "be held at an early date ... for an improvement in the South-North Korea relationship and the fundamental resolution of Korean Peninsula issues."

"The North Korean delegation, too, agreed that North Korea-U.S. relations must develop along with the South-North Korea relationship," Kim Eui-kyeom said.

Thepossible thaw comes amid a backdrop of a series of ever-toughening sanctions against the North, spearheaded by the U.S., as recently as last week.

Harry Kazianis, director of defense studies at the Washington-based think tank Center for the National Interest, expressed skepticism at the North's outreach.

"To put it simply — will North Korea talk nukes or is (leader) Kim Jong Un just looking to buy more time?" Kazianis told USA TODAY. "We will find out soon enough.”

A sincere offer of talks would provide a rare step toward diplomacy after years of missile and nuclear tests and direct threats of war from Pyongyang — and from Washington.

NewyorkMail/USA/26 February 2018/HM