South and North Korea are in agreement on holding a ministerial meeting in Seoul next week that can build mutual trust and ease uncertainties on the Korean Peninsula, a government official said Sunday.
In the morning session of the first government-level talks in years at the truce village of Panmunjom, the two sides exchanged views on protocol, location, the agenda and size of the delegation to be present at Wednesday's ministerial meeting planned for Seoul, the Ministry of Unification said.
"The two sides shared the same understanding in regards to the ministers' meeting," said ministry spokesman Kim Hyung-suk, stressing that both Seoul and Pyongyang wanted the meeting to take place.
He said that discussions took place in a calm manner and without any particular contentious issues surfacing. The official also said South and North Korea are reviewing the issues raised by the other side and will arrange further contact to iron out details.
"Views exchanged are being discussed by both sides, and if both sides come to an understanding, an agreement will be reached," the official said.
He declined to elaborate on the details since negotiations are pending. The official said that while no fixed timetable has been set for the resumption of talks in the afternoon, such details will be arranged by official communication channels.
The morning talks started at 10:13 a.m. at Freedom House on the South Korean side of the joint security area and were concluded a little after 11 a.m.
The meeting came after the North's Committee for the Peaceful Reunification of Korea (CPRK) called for working-level talks Friday following its earlier proposal to hold government-level talks to resolve issues such as the Kaesong Industrial Complex, Mount Geumgang tours and reunions of families separated by the Korean War (1950-53).
Seoul has accepted the government-to-government talks and countered by asking for a ministerial-level meeting so all key issues can be discussed by responsible officials.
The communist country had also called for the joint hosting of celebratory events to mark the 13th anniversary of the June 15 South-North Joint Declaration and the 1972 July 4th North-South Joint Statement. The two statements are considered to be key documents that have helped lay the foundation for inter-Korean talks.
Chun Hae-sung, who is leading the three-person South Korean delegation, told reporters before leaving for the talks that every effort will be made to build trust that can lay the foundation for improving South-North relations.
"There is a need to build trust from small issues and the South's goal is to keep faithful to the principle of the 'trust building' process for the Korean Peninsula," the head of the policy setting office at the unification ministry said. The trust-building process is the main policy goal of South Korean President Park Geun-hye.
He said that the Panmunjom talks aim to lay the successful groundwork for the ministerial-level talks. The official said administrative and technical matters will be discussed.
The North, meanwhile, was represented by Kim Song-hye, a senior official on the CPRK, with extensive experience in negotiations with the South.
In the morning session of the first government-level talks in years at the truce village of Panmunjom, the two sides exchanged views on protocol, location, the agenda and size of the delegation to be present at Wednesday's ministerial meeting planned for Seoul, the Ministry of Unification said.
"The two sides shared the same understanding in regards to the ministers' meeting," said ministry spokesman Kim Hyung-suk, stressing that both Seoul and Pyongyang wanted the meeting to take place.
He said that discussions took place in a calm manner and without any particular contentious issues surfacing. The official also said South and North Korea are reviewing the issues raised by the other side and will arrange further contact to iron out details.
"Views exchanged are being discussed by both sides, and if both sides come to an understanding, an agreement will be reached," the official said.
He declined to elaborate on the details since negotiations are pending. The official said that while no fixed timetable has been set for the resumption of talks in the afternoon, such details will be arranged by official communication channels.
The morning talks started at 10:13 a.m. at Freedom House on the South Korean side of the joint security area and were concluded a little after 11 a.m.
The meeting came after the North's Committee for the Peaceful Reunification of Korea (CPRK) called for working-level talks Friday following its earlier proposal to hold government-level talks to resolve issues such as the Kaesong Industrial Complex, Mount Geumgang tours and reunions of families separated by the Korean War (1950-53).
Seoul has accepted the government-to-government talks and countered by asking for a ministerial-level meeting so all key issues can be discussed by responsible officials.
The communist country had also called for the joint hosting of celebratory events to mark the 13th anniversary of the June 15 South-North Joint Declaration and the 1972 July 4th North-South Joint Statement. The two statements are considered to be key documents that have helped lay the foundation for inter-Korean talks.
Chun Hae-sung, who is leading the three-person South Korean delegation, told reporters before leaving for the talks that every effort will be made to build trust that can lay the foundation for improving South-North relations.
"There is a need to build trust from small issues and the South's goal is to keep faithful to the principle of the 'trust building' process for the Korean Peninsula," the head of the policy setting office at the unification ministry said. The trust-building process is the main policy goal of South Korean President Park Geun-hye.
He said that the Panmunjom talks aim to lay the successful groundwork for the ministerial-level talks. The official said administrative and technical matters will be discussed.
The North, meanwhile, was represented by Kim Song-hye, a senior official on the CPRK, with extensive experience in negotiations with the South.
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