INTERNATIONAL: North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has exchanged letters with South Korea's outgoing President Moon Jae-in and thanked Moon for his efforts to improve relations, state media KCNA reported on Friday 22nd April.

Moon sent a letter on Wednesday 20th April and promised continued efforts to help lay the foundation for unification based on the joint declarations reached at their summits in 2018, KCNA said.

Kim said in his reply on Thursday (April 21) that their "historic" summits in 2018 gave "hope for the future" to the people, and the two agreed that the ties would develop if both sides "make tireless efforts with hope."

"Kim Jong Un appreciated the pains and effort taken by Moon Jae-in for the great cause of the nation until the last days of his term of office," the official KCNA news agency said, adding the exchange of letters was an "expression of their deep trust."

Outgoing President Moon Jae-in has asked North Korean leader Kim Jong Un to stay committed to inter-Korean cooperation, saying restarting dialogue was now up to the incoming government of Yoon Suk-yeol, Moon's spokeswoman said on Friday.

^{PHOTO: NORTH KOREA'S OFFICIAL NEWS AGENCY KCNA WEBSITE / KCNA WEBSITE SHOWING REPORT ON LETTER EXCHANGE BETWEEN NORTH KOREAN LEADER KIM JONG UN AND SOUTH KOREAN OUTGOING PRESIDENT MOON JAE-IN / FILE FOOTAGE OF MOON-KIM SUMMIT}