MILAN/ROME ― South Korean President Park Geun-hye said that she won’t let the opportunity for inter-Korean dialogue go, on the second-day of a biennial meeting with Asian and European leaders in Milan, amid growing concerns that the expected talks with North Korea could be cancelled.

“We will not let the opportunity for dialogue go. We will bring peace on the Korean peninsula with consistent efforts and perseverance, and to establish basis for peaceful unification,” she said at a retreat session of the 10th Asia-Europe Meeting Summit.

Park also urged leaders to show their support for peace on the Korean peninsula and to press the communist regime to abandon its nuclear weapons and improve human rights. “I hope that ASEM member-countries will show their support for Korea’s (unification) efforts,” she added.

The remark came amid the two Koreas remaining at odds over the proposed high-level talks. Hopes were raised for a breakthrough in tense ties after North Korea agreed to resume dialogue with the South when a trio of senior officials made a surprise visit to Incheon early this year.The hope for a thaw in inter-Korean relations, however, quickly faded after the two Koreas exchanged fire near the Northern Limit Line, a de facto sea border, last week.

After the ASEM summit, President Park is set to fly to Rome and hold a separate summit with Italian President Giorgio Napolitano and Prime Minister Matteo Renzi. Park is one of two Asian leaders making a state visit to the European country this week, Ju Chul-ki, presidential secretary for foreign affairs told reporters. Her trip to Italy drew keen attention as the two countries celebrate their 130 years of diplomatic ties this year, he added.

By Cho Chung-un, Korea Herald correspondent (christory@heraldcorp.com)