South Korea Offers to Host New Talks With DPRK

The South Korean government said on Thursday it had proposed four days of ministerial level talks with the DPRK later this month in Seoul.

The proposal followed a DPRK's offer this week to end a six month freeze on government-to-government contacts. South Korea said the talks could be from September 15-18.

South Korea's Unification Ministry said its offer was made at the Panmunjom truce village on the heavily fortified Korean frontier, the only official point of contact for the two sides, who have yet to officially end the 1950-53 Korean War.

"The South Korean government sent a telephone message to DPRK proposing a fifth round of ministerial level talks in Seoul from September 15 to September 18," a Unification Ministry spokesman told AFP.

The leaders of the two Koreas held a historic summit in Pyongyang last year. But after a series of reconciliation initiatives such as family reunions, contacts ended in March.

( Chinadaily.com.cn 09/06/2001)