President Moon Jae-in on Tuesday renewed his call for North Korea to participate in the PyeongChang Winter Games, saying it would mark great progress toward peace on the peninsula.

“The doors to PyeongChang, the road to peace, are also open to North Korea,” Moon said in his speech to the general assembly of the National Unification Advisory Council.

“The one step North Korea takes toward PyeongChang will mark a great progress toward peace that cannot be obtained even with hundreds of missiles.”

Thousands of members of the presidential council from across the country attended the conference held in Gangneung, Gangwon Province, near PyeongChang, the host city of the 2018 Winter Olympic Games.

Moon, who chairs the council, reiterated the government‘s commitment to the ultimate national goal of a peaceful reunification with North Korea.

“The most serious challenge and threat that lies before us now is North Korea’s nuclear weapons and missiles. But our principle of peaceful reunification also remains firm,” he said.

“Peace is a right that should be enjoyed by each person. Building a peaceful Korean Peninsula is our duty,” he added.

Moon asked the council members to try to listen to people and gather their opinions on ways to achieve peace and reunification.

“Refining the views offered by the people to make them practical and further enriching such opinions is what you advisers are asked to do,” the president said.

“Our destination is clear,” he said. “It is a Korean Peninsula of peace and prosperity. The NUAC will be an advisory group that brings the people together. It will create a strong and firm foundation for peace and unification on the Korean Peninsula.” (Yonhap)