South Korean Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha, right, shakes hands with U.S. special envoy for North Korea Stephen Biegun, left, during their meeting at the Foreign Ministry in Seoul Tuesday, Sept. 11, 2018. (Jung Yeon-je/Pool Photo via AP)

SEOUL, South Korea — South Korea’s president today urged both North Korea and the United States to “make bold decisions” to break a deepening diplomatic impasse over the North’s nuclear ambitions, saying he’ll continue to act as mediator.

President Moon Jae-in’s comments come days before he’s to meet with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un for the third time this year to discuss how to achieve denuclearization and peace on the Korean Peninsula.

Moon said the summit must lead to another “big step” toward denuclearization.

The talks come at a crucial moment in the overall diplomacy, which is currently stuck amid recriminations between Washington and Pyongyang on how to follow through on vows made at a summit in June between Kim and President Donald Trump to rid the North of its nuclear weapons.

During a Cabinet meeting today, Moon said Kim and Trump must think broadly and “make bold decisions” to move the diplomacy forward and get North Korea to dismantle its nuclear arsenal.

“North Korea must carry out its nuclear dismantling and the United States must take a corresponding step,” Moon said.

“Under such a process, the two countries must pull back their deep-rooted mutual distrust caused by their 70 years of hostile relations.”