File Photo: Local residents watch a TV screen displaying top leader of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) Kim Jong Un receiving South Korean President Moon Jae-in at the Pyongyang International Airport for their third inter-Korean summit, at a station in Seoul, South Korea, Sept. 18, 2018. (Xinhua/Lee Sang-ho)

SEOUL, Nov. 5 (Xinhua) -- South Korean President Moon Jae-in said Monday that his country was preparing for the visit by Kim Jong Un, top leader of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) to Seoul, assuming it would happen by the end of this year.

Moon made the remark during a meeting with the floor leaders of the five key political parties, including the ruling Democratic Party and the main conservative opposition Liberty Korea Party, Hong Young-pyo of the Democratic Party told reporters at the parliament after attending the meeting.

Moon was quoted as saying that Seoul was preparing on the assumption that Kim would visit the South Korean capital city within this year, though it would be early to conclude that Kim's return visit would take place as scheduled.

He expressed his hope that Kim's return visit would be realized as scheduled to make an epoch-making opportunity for inter-Korean relations.

Following the latest summit between Moon and Kim in Pyongyang in September, the DPRK leader promised to visit Seoul in return for the South Korean president's visit to the DPRK capital.