Egypt has welcomed the announcement by North Korea's leader Kim Jong Un on Saturday that the Asian nation plans to freeze its program of ballistic-missile and nuclear tests.

In a statement issued on Saturday, the Egyptian Ministy of Foreign Affairs described the move as a "positive development", Al-Ahram Arabic news website reported.

"This positive development will boost confidence and pave the way for a peace process on the Korean Peninsula, thus starting to defuse tensions and achieve development and stability," the statement read.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un said he would halt nuclear tests and intercontinental ballistic-missile launches, a move welcomed by US President Donald Trump ahead of a much-anticipated summit between the two men.

The Egyptian ministry affirmed Egypt's rejection of any kind of threats or force as a means of solving international disputes, emphasising the importance of seeking peaceful solutions.

The statement also called for the complete elimination of all nuclear weapons in the world, affirming Egypt's support for the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, commonly known as the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT).

The NPT is an international treaty that aims to prevent the spread of nuclear weapons and promote cooperation in the peaceful uses of nuclear energy. Further, among its goals is to achieve nuclear disarmament generally around the world.