North Korea on Thursday proposed holding high-level military talks with South Korea to discuss "pending" military issues between the two sides, Seoul's defense ministry said.
The North sent a telegram signed by Kim Young-chun, minister of the People's Armed Forces, to South Korean Defense Minister Kim Kwan-jin Thursday morning, proposing that high-level officials from the two Koreas hold dialogue to resolve bilateral military pending issues, ministry officials said.
The officials said the South Korean government was considering agreeing to hold working-level talks to prepare for the proposed high-level military talks.
"The Koreas have usually referred to talks between generals or higher as high-level military talks. North Korea's proposal can also be interpreted as referring to minister-level talks," Seoul's Deputy Defense Minister Chang Kwang-il said in a media briefing.
"The first inter-Korean defense minister talks occurred on Jeju Island in September 2000, while the second one was held in Pyongyang in November 2007. North Korea asked South Korea to select a convenient date and venue for the proposed military talks," Chang said, noting his ministry was positively considering complying with preparatory working-level talks.
Chang also said the South Korean government will try to include North Korea's provocations last year, including artillery attacks on a Yellow Sea island, in the agenda of the high-level military talks, if the talks are held.
"We're in discussions with the Unification Ministry regarding the latest North Korean proposal. We'll soon come up with a follow-up announcement," Chang said.