The photo shows Kim Jong Un (R), top leader of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), shakes hands with South Korean President Moon Jae-in after a joint press conference in Pyongyang, the DPRK, on Sept. 19, 2018. Photo:Xinhua/Pyongyang Press Corps

South Korean President Moon Jae-in on Tuesday expressed his optimistic view over the relations between South Korea and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) although the deadlocked talks between the DPRK and the United States brought difficulties to the inter-Korean ties.

Moon made the remarks in his televised New Year's press conference in the presidential Blue House, saying that though the inter-Korean relations were faced with difficulties because of the stalled DPRK-U.S. dialogue, efforts were being made to expand inter-Korean cooperation through dialogues.

The president said his government is optimistic that things would go well sufficiently.

Moon said both the inter-Korean and the DPRK-U.S. dialogues could not be seen as entering a pessimistic stage, although he was not currently too optimistic about it.

Referring to U.S. President Donald Trump's birthday congratulatory message to top DPRK leader Kim Jong Un, Moon said sending the message itself was "very positive."

Moon said a dialogue message was sent through the birthday message, to which the DPRK immediately announced its response.

Kim Kye Gwan, an advisor to the DPRK's Foreign Ministry, said in a statement Saturday that dialogues with the United States can resume only when Washington fully accepts Pyongyang's demands.

Regarding the DPRK's response, Moon noted that though the DPRK said it would resume talks when Washington accepts its demands, Pyongyang made it clear that it will not close a door to dialogue.

Moon emphasized the continued trust between the leaders of the DPRK and the United States, adding that efforts for dialogue were being made between Pyongyang and Washington.

Moon said in his New Year address a week earlier that his administration will seek "realistic" measures for broader inter-Korean cooperation while continuing efforts for the success of the DPRK-U.S. denuclearization negotiations.

Moon offered the DPRK concerted efforts to create conditions for the DPRK leader's reciprocal visit to South Korea, reaffirming his commitment to the resumption of the currently suspended inter-Korean cooperation projects and the reconnection of railways and roads across the inter-Korean border.