Seoul has indicated that it welcomes any dialogue between Washington and Pyongyang as long as it can help with a peaceful solution of the North Korean nuclear issue.

Unification Ministry Spokesman Baik Tae-hyun told reporters Wednesday Seoul and Washington agree on the principle of resolving the North Korean nuclear issue peacefully, and that if such a dialogue is helpful in achieving that goal, the South Korean government hopes it will be held soon.

He declined to comment on the possibility of a meeting between U.S. special representative for North Korea policy Joseph Yun and a North Korean official on the sidelines of the general conference of the Council for Security Cooperation in the Asia-Pacific(CSCAP) to be held in Thailand from Thursday through Friday.