News that delegates from North and South Korea could meet for talks as early as next week ahead of February's Winter Olympics in PyeongChang is the most promising development on the peninsula in years.
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It highlights the fact that while both Kim Jong-un and Donald Trump are using a highly contrived, and often adroitly stage-managed, crisis to shore up their own positions, South Korea's leadership has been playing a longer game.
The economic powerhouse, which is to host its first Winter Olympics and only its second ever Olympics event in little more than three weeks, has shown great restraint over the past year given its capital would literally be ground zero in any military confrontation between North Korea and the United States.
This has, in large part, been made possible by a clear understanding of how diplomacy plays out on both sides of the 49th parallel.
South Korea's President, Moon Jae-in, has taken Kim's bellicosity in his stride while carrying on with business as usual throughout 2017.
This included overseeing the impeachment and imminent trial of his predecessor, Park Geun-hye, on corruption charges and weathering a Chinese boycott over the deployment of anti-missile defences around Seoul. The Chinese are concerned the radars for the anti-missile missiles can see into their territory.
Moon Jae-in's equanimity stands in stark contrast to the volatility displayed by President Trump, who has risen to Kim's baiting every time.
Moon, who appears mindful of the adage "it is the fish that bites that dies" has been biding his time, waiting for an overture from across the border.
That came when Kim floated the prospect of talks to discuss sending a North Korean delegation to the Winter Olympics, which begin on February 9, during his New Year's Day speech.
"North Korea's participation in the Winter Games will be a good opportunity to show unity of the people and we wish the games will be a success," he said.
Two North Korean figure skaters have qualified for the PyeongChang Games but, until now, there has been no serious suggestion they would take part.
If North Korean athletes were to compete then the risk of North Korea disrupting the event, possibly by scheduling further nuclear tests or missile launches, would be significantly reduced.
While some pundits have been quick to suggest North Korea has scored a significant victory by apparently driving a wedge between South Korea and the American ally that has underwritten its physical existence for almost 70 years, that would appear to be giving Kim more credit than he deserves.
If a wedge does exist then the Americans have only themselves to blame for creating it.
In addition to using the lives of millions of South Koreans as pawns in a game intended to make himself look strong on the international stage, Donald Trump has also been putting strong pressure on the beleaguered nation to renegotiate its trade deal with the US.
He will have some serious explaining to do if relations between the two Koreas improve despite, rather than because of, American involvement.
