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North Korea reopens hotline to South to discuss Olympics | |
(35 minutes later) | |
North Korea has reopened a hotline to South Korea, almost two years after it was disabled on the orders of leader Kim Jong-un, | |
South Korea confirmed it had received a call from the North at 15:30 local time (06:30 GMT) on Wednesday. | |
The North Korean leader had earlier said he was open to dialogue with Seoul and to sending a team to the Winter Olympics in the South next month. | |
The two nations have not held high-level talks since December 2015. | The two nations have not held high-level talks since December 2015. |
North Korea cut off the communications channel shortly afterwards, refusing to answer calls, according to officials in the South. | |
A North Korean official announced the hotline's re-opening in a televised statement. | |
He said the two nations would discuss the practical issues around a proposal to send a North Korean delegation to the Winter Games in Pyeongchang in February. | |
"We will make close contact with South Korea in a sincere and faithful manner," Yonhap news agency quoted the official as saying. He said the countries would "discuss working-level issues" about sending the delegation. | |
How has the South responded? | |
The press secretary for South Korea's President Moon Jae-in said the restoration of this communications channel was "very significant". | |
"It creates an environment where communication will be possible at all times," he said. | |
Where is the physical line? | |
Historically there has been more than one but this particular phone line is based in Panmunjom. | |
The border village, in the heavily guarded demilitarised zone (DMZ), is where the Koreas have historically held talks. | |
Why have the Olympics become so important? | |
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. |
South Korea had already indicated that the North's participation in the Games would be welcomed. | |
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. |
When did the line stop being used? | |
The North cut off communications on the line in 2016, following a row over the Kaesong joint industrial complex. | 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. | On Tuesday, a South Korean official said they had been trying to call since Mr Kim's speech but there had been no reply. |
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 was "much bigger" and "more powerful" than the North Korean leader's. |