SEOUL, South Korea — A day after the leaders of the U.S. and China called for better communication between the two Koreas, South Korea said Thursday that it has accepted a North Korean proposal to hold high-level defense talks.
The talks could prove significant if Seoul and Pyongyang can put aside military and political tensions that soared to their worst level in years in 2010 and lay the groundwork for a resumption of long-stalled international negotiations on ending North Korea’s nuclear programs. Lower-level defense talks last year foundered over the issue of the sinking of a South Korean naval ship in disputed waters.
The agenda this time should include North Korean assurances that it will take “responsible measures” over the ship sinking and another deadly incident last year and not provoke further tensions, said Lee Jong-Joo, a spokeswoman for South Korea’s Unification Ministry, which is in charge of inter-Korean affairs.
Inter-Korean relations have been complicated by a power transition underway in the North, where leader Kim Jong-Il is believed to be grooming his youngest son, Kim Jong-Un, to succeed him.
The Unification Ministry’s Lee said North Korea had proposed talks earlier Thursday to ease tensions and “express opinions” about the two incidents. South Korea’s Defense Ministry said the North suggested talks at the level of minister.
South Korea also will propose separate talks with North Korea to verify its commitment toward denuclearization, Lee said.
