The announcement by Pyongyang's leader Kim Jong Un shows "full respect for its international obligations and all relevant UN Security Council resolutions," EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini said in a statement.

Kim's declaration comes less than a week before he meets South Korean President Moon Jae-in for a summit in the Demilitarised Zone that divides the peninsula, ahead of an eagerly-awaited encounter with US President Donald Trump.

"The European Union looks forward to the upcoming Summit meetings between the President of the Republic of Korea, Moon Jae-in and the leader of the DPRK; and the President of the United States, Donald Trump, and the leader of the DPRK. We hope that these high-level initiatives can continue to build confidence and bring about additional, concrete and positive outcomes," Mogherini said.

"The EU will continue its work to support a negotiated solution in all possible ways," she said.