'What is there to lose?' asks Minister who wants to lead peace mission to North Korea

A Government Minister wants to lead a peace mission to North Korea.

John Halligan has written to the North Korean Embassy in London seeking to visit the state.

Independent Alliance ministers want to meet with Kim Jong-un in January or February, in a bid to calm nuclear tensions.

Mr Halligan has said it is not good enough that the only dialogue towards Korea from the west has been Donald Trump threatening to blow them up.

Minister Halligan told RTÉ Radio One's Today with Sean O'Rourke about his plans to go to North Korea with Minister Shane Ross and Finian McGrath.

"This isn't new, we've had relations with North Korea in the past through Ceoltas. The greatest threat to peace at present in the world is on the Korean peninsula," he said.

He said that their trip, if successful, will be of no cost to the State and that they will pay their own way.

"Both have agreed to go if we can arrange it. We've already contacted the North Korean embassy in London through friends of mine and we're waiting for a reply," he added.

"What is there to lose by attempting to talk peace with North Korea?"