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Two Koreas 'hold high-level military talks' | Two Koreas 'hold high-level military talks' |
(about 7 hours later) | |
Senior military officials from the two Koreas have held talks for the first time in seven years, South Korea's Yonhap news agency reports. | |
The news agency, citing an unnamed source, said the talks began at 10:00 (01:00GMT) at the truce village of Panmunjom in the Demilitarised Zone. | The news agency, citing an unnamed source, said the talks began at 10:00 (01:00GMT) at the truce village of Panmunjom in the Demilitarised Zone. |
In recent weeks the two Koreas have exchange limited gun fire across both their land and sea borders. | In recent weeks the two Koreas have exchange limited gun fire across both their land and sea borders. |
South Korean ministry officials have not formally confirmed the talks. | South Korean ministry officials have not formally confirmed the talks. |
Yonhap, citing its parliamentary source, said it was because the North did not want the talks made public. | Yonhap, citing its parliamentary source, said it was because the North did not want the talks made public. |
An opposition lawmaker gave the same information to a party meeting, a statement from his party said. | |
The talks were widely expected to focus on reducing tensions after two small military incidents across the border that divides the two nations - which remain technically at war. | |
Last week, gun fire was exchanged after a North Korean patrol ship crossed the disputed western maritime border, South Korea said. | Last week, gun fire was exchanged after a North Korean patrol ship crossed the disputed western maritime border, South Korea said. |
On Friday, there was also an exchange of fire across the land border, something that happens rarely. | On Friday, there was also an exchange of fire across the land border, something that happens rarely. |
South Korea's Yonhap news agency, citing military officials, said the North fired towards balloons carrying propaganda leaflets that had been launched across the border by South Korean activists. | South Korea's Yonhap news agency, citing military officials, said the North fired towards balloons carrying propaganda leaflets that had been launched across the border by South Korean activists. |
South Korea responded after some shots landed south of the border, its officials said. | South Korea responded after some shots landed south of the border, its officials said. |
The BBC's Stephen Evans in Seoul says the immediate aim of the latest talks was to defuse a dangerous situation, but that there appears to be some desire on both sides to improve relations. | |
The two sides last held working-level military talks in February 2011 and general-level talks in December 2007, Yonhap said. | |
In February, Pyongyang and Seoul also had two rounds of high-level meetings in Panmunjom, without providing any details on how the talks went. | |
Wednesday's unexpected border meeting follows an announcement earlier this month that both countries had agreed to resume high-level talks within weeks. |
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