By Jun Ji-hye
North Korea on Friday accepted South Korea's offer to hold high-level talks next Tuesday to discuss the North's participation in the PyeongChang Winter Olympics and ways of improving inter-Korean relations, giving an impetus for easing of tensions on the Korean Peninsula.
Unification Ministry spokesman Baik Tae-hyun said the North has notified the South its officials will go to the South Korean side in the truce village of Panmunjeom on Jan. 9 for inter-Korean talks.
On Tuesday, the Moon Jae-in government offered to hold the high-level talks, in response to North Korean leader Kim Jong-un's comments the previous day during his New Year address that his regime was willing to send a delegation to the Olympics, calling on authorities from the two Koreas to meet to discuss the issue.
The PyeongChang Olympics run Feb. 9 to 25 and the Paralympic Winter Games are March 9 to 18.
"On the agenda would be matters related to the Olympics and ways of improving relations between the two Koreas," Baik said.
If the talks take place as scheduled, it will mark the first inter-Korean dialogue since the launch of the Moon government in May.
Since his inauguration, Moon has consistently offered peace overtures toward the North, but his efforts appeared to be fruitless last year as the North carried out a series of large-scale provocations including its most powerful nuclear test and three intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) launches.
A Cheong Wa Dae official said, asking not to be named, that the North's potential participation in the Olympics would be the top item on the agenda. He said other issues, including resuming reunions of families separated by the 1950-53 Korean War, would be discussed after the two Koreas reach a conclusion on the Olympics issue.
The North Korean leader's New Year address, highlighting conciliatory gestures toward the South, came after President Moon last year proposed to the United States to delay the allies' joint annual military drills, which would coincide with the Olympics, in a measure to ease tension.
Seoul and Washington conduct the annual Key Resolve and Foal Eagle drills around early March, which Pyongyang calls rehearsals for an invasion. The North has conducted military provocations including ballistic missile launches in protest of the drills.
Joint drills delayed
U.S. President Donald Trump supported the ongoing reconciliatory mood on the peninsula, affirming the allies will not hold any military exercises during the Olympics. According to Cheong Wa Dae, Moon and Trump agreed not to stage the regular joint exercises during the Olympics in their phone call on Thursday night.
The U.S. president said Moon may announce that there will be no military exercises during the Olympics, Cheong Wa Dae noted.
The White House confirmed in a press release that Moon and Trump agreed to "de-conflict the Olympics and our military exercises so that United States and Republic of Korea (ROK) forces can focus on ensuring the security of the Games."
Col. Robert Manning III, Pentagon spokesperson, said, "The ROK-U.S. alliance will work together to determine the actual dates of the exercises and will release that information upon the final decision."
Military sources said the drills are expected to take place in April instead of March.
Trump also told Moon the U.S. will provide any necessary assistance for the South's dialogue with the North, adding that Washington supports Moon 100 percent, Cheong Wa Dae said.
Trump also said he would send a high-level delegation, including his family members, to the Olympics, it added.
North Korea on Friday accepted South Korea's offer to hold high-level talks next Tuesday to discuss the North's participation in the PyeongChang Winter Olympics and ways of improving inter-Korean relations, giving an impetus for easing of tensions on the Korean Peninsula.
Unification Ministry spokesman Baik Tae-hyun said the North has notified the South its officials will go to the South Korean side in the truce village of Panmunjeom on Jan. 9 for inter-Korean talks.
On Tuesday, the Moon Jae-in government offered to hold the high-level talks, in response to North Korean leader Kim Jong-un's comments the previous day during his New Year address that his regime was willing to send a delegation to the Olympics, calling on authorities from the two Koreas to meet to discuss the issue.
The PyeongChang Olympics run Feb. 9 to 25 and the Paralympic Winter Games are March 9 to 18.
"On the agenda would be matters related to the Olympics and ways of improving relations between the two Koreas," Baik said.
If the talks take place as scheduled, it will mark the first inter-Korean dialogue since the launch of the Moon government in May.
Since his inauguration, Moon has consistently offered peace overtures toward the North, but his efforts appeared to be fruitless last year as the North carried out a series of large-scale provocations including its most powerful nuclear test and three intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) launches.
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A Cheong Wa Dae official said, asking not to be named, that the North's potential participation in the Olympics would be the top item on the agenda. He said other issues, including resuming reunions of families separated by the 1950-53 Korean War, would be discussed after the two Koreas reach a conclusion on the Olympics issue.
The North Korean leader's New Year address, highlighting conciliatory gestures toward the South, came after President Moon last year proposed to the United States to delay the allies' joint annual military drills, which would coincide with the Olympics, in a measure to ease tension.
Seoul and Washington conduct the annual Key Resolve and Foal Eagle drills around early March, which Pyongyang calls rehearsals for an invasion. The North has conducted military provocations including ballistic missile launches in protest of the drills.
Joint drills delayed
U.S. President Donald Trump supported the ongoing reconciliatory mood on the peninsula, affirming the allies will not hold any military exercises during the Olympics. According to Cheong Wa Dae, Moon and Trump agreed not to stage the regular joint exercises during the Olympics in their phone call on Thursday night.
The U.S. president said Moon may announce that there will be no military exercises during the Olympics, Cheong Wa Dae noted.
The White House confirmed in a press release that Moon and Trump agreed to "de-conflict the Olympics and our military exercises so that United States and Republic of Korea (ROK) forces can focus on ensuring the security of the Games."
Col. Robert Manning III, Pentagon spokesperson, said, "The ROK-U.S. alliance will work together to determine the actual dates of the exercises and will release that information upon the final decision."
Military sources said the drills are expected to take place in April instead of March.
Trump also told Moon the U.S. will provide any necessary assistance for the South's dialogue with the North, adding that Washington supports Moon 100 percent, Cheong Wa Dae said.
Trump also said he would send a high-level delegation, including his family members, to the Olympics, it added.
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