A top U.S. defense official on Friday said he expects the “early resumption” of nuclear negotiations with North Korea, the South Korean presidential office said.

In comments that come during his first trip to Seoul since taking on the role of U.S. Secretary of Defense earlier in the year, Mark Esper was reported to have held a 30-minute meeting with South Korean President Moon Jae-in from 1400 local time.

“The meeting between President Trump and Chairman Kim Jong Un at Panmunjom was a historic and touching event, and created room for both countries to continue dialogue,” South Korean presidential spokesperson Ko Min-jung