South Korea's presidential Blue House said Wednesday that it seemed difficult for Kim Jong Un, top leader of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), to visit Seoul within this year.

A senior Blue House official told local reporters that Kim's visit to Seoul seemed difficult to happen this year.

The official, however, noted that the possibility remained open for Kim's trip to Seoul in January next year.

After his third summit with South Korean President Moon Jae-in in September in Pyongyang, Kim promised to visit Seoul at an early date.

Moon has expressed hopes that Kim's visit to Seoul would happen before the end of this year.