Moon Jae-in poses for a photo with leaders of overseas Korean communities, as well as Organising Committee President Lee Hee-beom, after giving them PyeongChang 2018 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games badges ©Korean Government

South Korean President Moon Jae-in has expressed hope that next year's Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games will be a huge opportunity to stabilise the Korean Peninsula during a meeting with overseas community leaders.

Moon was meeting with the internationally-based officials in Seoul to mark World Korean Day.

Pyeongchang 2018 Organising Committee President Lee Hee-beom was also present.

“The Pyeongchang 2018 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games is an important opportunity for you, myself and all of us to build peace on the Korean Peninsula,” Moon said.

“In order to build peace on the Korean Peninsula and across Northeast Asia while in Pyeongchang, the roles of overseas Korean community leaders from 194 countries and that of 7.4 million overseas Koreans are significant."

He also expressed his confidence that ongoing regional instability will be resolved.

Moon Jae-in, left, receives a map of the Korean Peninsula painted by children from a Korean language school in Germany from Choi Young-keun, President of the Korean Community of Wiesbaden ©Korean Government
Moon Jae-in, left, receives a map of the Korean Peninsula painted by children from a Korean language school in Germany from Choi Young-keun, President of the Korean Community of Wiesbaden ©Korean Government

Tensions have continued to rise in the region following a series of missile tests by North Korea in recent months.

Matters have been escalated further by the increasing rhetoric between United States President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.

Kim has warned that North Korea would consider the "highest level of hard-line countermeasures in history" against America in response to Trump’s threat to destroy them.

“Peace is the road for us,” Moon added.

“Let the Republic of Korea and overseas Koreans become one so that we can start a journey together toward a path for peace and prosperity on the Korean Peninsula.

"Although they live in different areas, throughout our history Koreans both overseas and in the country have always been one.

“When their home country suffered hardship, the unity among Korean communities became firmer, giving great encouragement and hope to all Koreans who were in despair.

“Though it's a rocky road, we will get through it wisely as it's the only path down which the Republic of Korea should go.”

“The Korean Government and myself are doing our utmost to resolve the North Korean nuclear weapons issues in a fundamental manner - world leaders are responding to Seoul’s desperate appeals."