Seoul, Sep 24 (IANS): Kim Yo-jong, sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, on Friday deemed South Korean President Moon Jae-In's proposal to declare a formal end to the Korean War an "admirable idea".

In a statement, Kim Yo-jong however said that Pyongyang is willing to discuss improving inter-Korean relations if Seoul ceases to be hostile towards it, reports Yonhap News Agency.

"The declaration of the termination of the war is an interesting and an admirable idea. ... But it is necessary to look into whether it is the right time now and whether there are conditions ripe for discussing this issue," she said in the statement carried by Pyongyang' official Korean Central News Agency.

"We have willingness to keep our close contacts with the South again and have constructive discussion with it about the restoration and development of the bilateral relations if it is careful about its future language and not hostile toward us."

Kim Yo-jong's statement came after Vice Foreign Minister Ri Thae-song rejected Moon's proposal as "something premature".

Earlier this week while addressing the UN General Assembly, Moon proposed the two Koreas and the US declare a formal end to the 1950-53 war.

Seoul and Pyongyang are still technically at war, as the 1950-53 Korean War ended in a ceasefire, not a peace treaty.