The third inter-Korean summit will take place from September 18-20.

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un shakes hands with South Korean President Moon Jae-in at the military demarcation line dividing the two Koreas in the truce village of Panmunjom on April 27. Photo: AFP

“First, South and North Korea agreed to hold a South-North Korea summit in Pyongyang from September 18 to 20, and will hold high-level talks early next week to prepare for the summit,” Chung said of his one-day trip to the North Korean capital.

Mr. Chung, head of the South Korean President's National Security Office, led a five-member delegation to Pyongyang, including the country's National Intelligence Service Director Suh Hoon.

The upcoming summit will be the third Moon-Kim summit this year. The two leaders first met at the border village of Panmunjom on April 27 and then again at the same place on May 26.

Chung said the upcoming summit will review the implementation of the inter-Korean summit agreement reached by the leaders during their first meeting at Panmunjom.

“The countries agreed to review the implementation of the Panmunjom Declaration and discuss the future path of its implementation, as well as discuss practical ways to establish lasting peace and ensure common prosperity on the Korean Peninsula, especially the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula,” he said in a press conference broadcast on national television.

The North Korean leader has reaffirmed his commitment to denuclearization, and also promised to continue working with the United States toward that goal.

“Kim Jong-un reaffirmed his firm commitment to complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula, and expressed his willingness to cooperate closely with not only South Korea but also the United States to achieve that goal,” the senior security adviser to the South Korean president said.

The South Korean delegation's visit on September 5 was largely aimed at arranging a date for the third Moon-Kim summit, but was also expected to focus on removing obstacles in denuclearization talks between the United States and North Korea.

The talks appeared to have stalled after US President Donald Trump canceled a planned visit to North Korea by his top diplomat, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, citing a lack of progress on North Korea's denuclearization.

Earlier, North Korea confirmed that its leader Kim Jong-un had reiterated his commitment to complete denuclearization while meeting with South Korean officials.

“Noting that it is our fixed stand and will to completely remove the threat of armed conflict and the fear of war from the Korean Peninsula and turn it into a cradle of peace, free of nuclear weapons and nuclear threats, he said the DPRK and the South should step up efforts to realize the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula,” the North’s official KCNA news agency reported.

At the upcoming summit, the leaders of South Korea and North Korea will also discuss ways to further reduce military tensions between the two countries.

“The countries agreed to discuss concrete ways to build mutual trust and prevent armed conflicts, and continue ongoing talks on reducing military tensions at the South-North Korea summit,” Chung said.

To achieve this, the countries have agreed to open a joint liaison office in the North Korean border village of Kaesong before the third Moon-Kim summit, he added.