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North Korea accepts Olympics talks offer, says South | North Korea accepts Olympics talks offer, says South |
(about 2 hours later) | |
North Korea has accepted an offer to attend high-level talks next week, South Korean officials have said. | North Korea has accepted an offer to attend high-level talks next week, South Korean officials have said. |
The meeting, on 9 January, will focus on finding a way for North Korean athletes to attend the Winter Olympic Games in South Korea in February. | The meeting, on 9 January, will focus on finding a way for North Korean athletes to attend the Winter Olympic Games in South Korea in February. |
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un said this week that sending a delegation to the Games would be "a good opportunity to show unity" among North Koreans. | North Korean leader Kim Jong-un said this week that sending a delegation to the Games would be "a good opportunity to show unity" among North Koreans. |
The meeting is expected to be held at Panmunjom, on the border. | The meeting is expected to be held at Panmunjom, on the border. |
The so-called peace village, in the heavily guarded demilitarised zone (DMZ), is where the two sides have historically held talks. | The so-called peace village, in the heavily guarded demilitarised zone (DMZ), is where the two sides have historically held talks. |
According to an official from South Korea's presidential office, the meeting's priority will be the Pyeongchang Winter Games. | According to an official from South Korea's presidential office, the meeting's priority will be the Pyeongchang Winter Games. |
However, he told South Korea's Yonhap news agency that he believed there would also "be discussions related to improving South-North ties after the North's participation in the Olympics becomes final". | However, he told South Korea's Yonhap news agency that he believed there would also "be discussions related to improving South-North ties after the North's participation in the Olympics becomes final". |
These will be the first high-level talks the both Koreas have had since December 2015. It is not yet clear who will be attending. | These will be the first high-level talks the both Koreas have had since December 2015. It is not yet clear who will be attending. |
South Korea's President Moon Jae-in has previously said he sees the Winter Olympics as a "groundbreaking chance" to improve relations between the Koreas, two countries still technically at war. | South Korea's President Moon Jae-in has previously said he sees the Winter Olympics as a "groundbreaking chance" to improve relations between the Koreas, two countries still technically at war. |
Earlier this week, in a small sign of progress, North Korea restored a telephone hotline at their mutual border, to enable the first contact about talks to be made. | Earlier this week, in a small sign of progress, North Korea restored a telephone hotline at their mutual border, to enable the first contact about talks to be made. |
However, the South Korean Unification Ministry official told AFP that the acceptance of the invitation to talks was sent by fax on Friday morning. | However, the South Korean Unification Ministry official told AFP that the acceptance of the invitation to talks was sent by fax on Friday morning. |
"The two sides decided to discuss working-level issues for the talks by exchanging documents," Baik Tae-hyun, a spokesman of Seoul's unification ministry, told Yonhap. | "The two sides decided to discuss working-level issues for the talks by exchanging documents," Baik Tae-hyun, a spokesman of Seoul's unification ministry, told Yonhap. |
'Greatest threat to Japan since WW2' | |
The tentative moves towards the Olympic appearance come after months of escalating rhetoric from North Korea and the US. | The tentative moves towards the Olympic appearance come after months of escalating rhetoric from North Korea and the US. |
The leaders of both countries have each threatened the other with nuclear annihilation. | The leaders of both countries have each threatened the other with nuclear annihilation. |
North Korea has also infuriated the world with its repeated nuclear tests and missile launches, which have resulted in tightened international sanctions. | North Korea has also infuriated the world with its repeated nuclear tests and missile launches, which have resulted in tightened international sanctions. |
As part of efforts to smooth the path to the Olympics, the US has agreed to a request from South Korea to suspend joint military operations, scheduled to take place during the Games. | As part of efforts to smooth the path to the Olympics, the US has agreed to a request from South Korea to suspend joint military operations, scheduled to take place during the Games. |
North Korea despises the drills, which it sees as invasion preparations. | |
US Defence Secretary James Mattis said the delay was "a practical matter" - part of "the normal give and take", and the drills would be conducted after the Paralympics finished on 19 March. | US Defence Secretary James Mattis said the delay was "a practical matter" - part of "the normal give and take", and the drills would be conducted after the Paralympics finished on 19 March. |
Japan added on Friday that the decision to delay drills was "not designed to compromise the increased pressure on North Korea". | |
Japan's Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga said that Tokyo, Washington and Seoul remained were still determined to "increase pressure" on North Korea. | |
Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Thursday highlighted the increasing threat posed by North Korea. | |
"It is not an exaggeration to say the security environment surrounding Japan is at its severest since the Second World War", he said. | |
"By raising pressure on North Korea together with the international community, I intend to do my utmost to solve [its] nuclear, missiles and abduction issues." |