Two Koreas to meet for talks

SEOUL, April 19 (UPI) -- South Korea says it has accepted North Korea's offer to discuss escalating tensions between the two countries.

Government officials are to meet Tuesday at the Kaesong industrial complex, a troubled joint venture between the two Koreas located about an hour from Seoul on North Korean land, South Korea's Yonhap News agency reported Sunday.

More than 100 South Korean manufacturers employ about 39,000 North Koreans at the complex. North Korea last year suspended other joint economic projects and cut off all government-level talks with Seoul.

Tuesday's talks will likely include North Korea's opposition to South Korea joining a U.S.-led campaign against the spread of nuclear weapons and negotiations over the detention of a South Korean employee of Hyundai Asan Corp., the developer of the Kaesong joint venture, Yonhap said.

The employee was detained by North Korea last month for allegedly criticizing North Korea's political system and trying to convince a female North Korean worker to defect.