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Koreas agree to high-level talks this week Koreas agree to high-level talks this week
(4 months later)
North and South Korea have agreed to hold senior-level talks this week in Seoul, a breakthrough of sorts after Pyongyang's recent threats of nuclear war.North and South Korea have agreed to hold senior-level talks this week in Seoul, a breakthrough of sorts after Pyongyang's recent threats of nuclear war.
The two-day meeting starting on Wednesday will focus on stalled co-operation projects, including the resumption of operations at a jointly-run factory park near the border in North Korea that was the last remaining symbol of inter-Korean rapprochement until Pyongyang shut the border and pulled out its workers during a period of heightened tension after its February nuclear test.The two-day meeting starting on Wednesday will focus on stalled co-operation projects, including the resumption of operations at a jointly-run factory park near the border in North Korea that was the last remaining symbol of inter-Korean rapprochement until Pyongyang shut the border and pulled out its workers during a period of heightened tension after its February nuclear test.
The details were ironed out in a nearly 17-hour negotiating session by lower-level officials. It was the first such meeting of its kind on the Korean peninsula in more than two years and took place at the village of Panmunjom on their heavily armed border, where the armistice ending the three-year Korean War was signed 60 years ago. That truce has never been replaced with a peace treaty, leaving the Korean peninsula technically at war.The details were ironed out in a nearly 17-hour negotiating session by lower-level officials. It was the first such meeting of its kind on the Korean peninsula in more than two years and took place at the village of Panmunjom on their heavily armed border, where the armistice ending the three-year Korean War was signed 60 years ago. That truce has never been replaced with a peace treaty, leaving the Korean peninsula technically at war.
The agreement to hold the talks was announced on Monday by South Korea's unification ministry. North Korea's official news agency, KCNA, also reported the agreement.The agreement to hold the talks was announced on Monday by South Korea's unification ministry. North Korea's official news agency, KCNA, also reported the agreement.
Dialogue at any level marks an improvement in the countries' abysmal ties. In the past few years North Korea has conducted nuclear tests, launched long-range rockets and has been blamed for attacks that killed 50 South Koreans in 2010.Dialogue at any level marks an improvement in the countries' abysmal ties. In the past few years North Korea has conducted nuclear tests, launched long-range rockets and has been blamed for attacks that killed 50 South Koreans in 2010.
Wednesday's meeting will also include discussions on resuming South Korean tours to a North Korean mountain resort, the reunion of separated families and other humanitarian issues, officials said. But North Korea's nuclear weapons are not on the agenda.Wednesday's meeting will also include discussions on resuming South Korean tours to a North Korean mountain resort, the reunion of separated families and other humanitarian issues, officials said. But North Korea's nuclear weapons are not on the agenda.
After UN sanctions were strengthened following North Korea's third nuclear test in February, Pyongyang threatened nuclear war and missile strikes against Seoul and Washington, pulled its workers from the jointly run factory park at the North Korean border town of Kaesong and vowed to increase production of nuclear bomb fuel. Seoul withdrew its last personnel from Kaesong in May.After UN sanctions were strengthened following North Korea's third nuclear test in February, Pyongyang threatened nuclear war and missile strikes against Seoul and Washington, pulled its workers from the jointly run factory park at the North Korean border town of Kaesong and vowed to increase production of nuclear bomb fuel. Seoul withdrew its last personnel from Kaesong in May.
North Korea said the two sides would also discuss how to jointly commemorate past inter-Korean statements, including one settled during a landmark 2000 summit between the countries' leaders, civilian exchanges and other joint collaboration matters, according to the South Korean ministry's statement.North Korea said the two sides would also discuss how to jointly commemorate past inter-Korean statements, including one settled during a landmark 2000 summit between the countries' leaders, civilian exchanges and other joint collaboration matters, according to the South Korean ministry's statement.
Sunday's meeting followed the summit between US President Barack Obama and Chinese President Xi Jinping in California, in which the White House said "quite a bit of alignment" was found on North Korea, including an agreement that Pyongyang has to abandon its nuclear weapons aspirations.Sunday's meeting followed the summit between US President Barack Obama and Chinese President Xi Jinping in California, in which the White House said "quite a bit of alignment" was found on North Korea, including an agreement that Pyongyang has to abandon its nuclear weapons aspirations.
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