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North Korea to reopen hotline to South to discuss Olympics | North Korea to reopen hotline to South to discuss Olympics |
(35 minutes later) | |
North Korea has said it will reopen a hotline to South Korea, to facilitate talks on its possible participation in the Winter Olympics. | |
The inter-Korean communications channel would be restored at 15:30 local time (06:30 GMT) on Wednesday, South Korea's Yonhap news agency reported. | |
It comes after Kim Jong-un said he was "open to dialogue" with Seoul and to sending a team to the Games. | It comes after Kim Jong-un said he was "open to dialogue" with Seoul and to sending a team to the Games. |
The two nations have not held high-level talks since December 2015. | The two nations have not held high-level talks since December 2015. |
The following year, North Korea cut off the communications channel, refusing to answer calls, according to officials in the South. | |
A North Korean official announced the hotline's re-opening in a televised statement on Tuesday. | |
He said the two nations would discuss the practical issues around a proposal to send a North Korean delegation to the Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea in February. | He said the two nations would discuss the practical issues around a proposal to send a North Korean delegation to the Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea in February. |
"We will discuss working-level issues over our potential dispatch of the delegation," Yonhap quoted the official as saying. | "We will discuss working-level issues over our potential dispatch of the delegation," Yonhap quoted the official as saying. |
South Korea had indicated that the North's participation in the Games would be welcomed. | South Korea had indicated that the North's participation in the Games would be welcomed. |
In a New Year's Day speech, Mr Kim Jong-un spoke of lowering tensions and of melting "frozen North-South relations". | In a New Year's Day speech, Mr Kim Jong-un spoke of lowering tensions and of melting "frozen North-South relations". |
He said attending the Games would be "a good opportunity to show unity of the people" in North Korea. | He said attending the Games would be "a good opportunity to show unity of the people" in North Korea. |
Seoul offered high-level talks in response, with President Moon Jae-in calling it a "groundbreaking chance" to improve relations. | Seoul offered high-level talks in response, with President Moon Jae-in calling it a "groundbreaking chance" to improve relations. |
It is not yet clear whether North Korea will accept that offer, but the opening of the hotline will allow for preliminary discussions to be held. | It is not yet clear whether North Korea will accept that offer, but the opening of the hotline will allow for preliminary discussions to be held. |
The North cut off communications on the line in 2016, following a row over the Kaesong joint industrial complex. | |
On Tuesday, a South Korean official said they had been trying to call since Mr Kim's speech but there had been no reply. | |
The press secretary for President Moon said the restoration of this communications channel was "very significant". | |
"It creates an environment where communication will be possible at all times," he told AFP. | "It creates an environment where communication will be possible at all times," he told AFP. |
North Korea has come under increasing international pressure in the past year over its nuclear weapons programme. | North Korea has come under increasing international pressure in the past year over its nuclear weapons programme. |
Responding to the developments this week, US President Donald Trump tweeted earlier that economic sanctions and external pressure were "beginning to have a big impact". | Responding to the developments this week, US President Donald Trump tweeted earlier that economic sanctions and external pressure were "beginning to have a big impact". |
On Tuesday, he boasted that his nuclear button is "much bigger" and "more powerful" than the North Korean leader's. |