South and North Korea's senior military leaders meet for first time in 7 years

SEOUL, Oct. 15 (UPI) -- Senior military officials from North and South Korea came together Wednesday for the first time in seven years amid heightened tensions.

"The inter-Korean general-level military talks got underway from 10 a.m. at the truce village of Panmunjom," a parliamentary source told Yonhap News Agency.

Seoul has refused to confirm the meeting although a South Korean military source told the news agency that the meeting would examine "how to relieve inter-Korean military tensions that have been heightened recently."

The meeting follows two military encounters last week, including an exchange of fire after a North Korean naval vessel crossed the de facto maritime border in the Yellow Sea. Three days later, on the 69th anniversary of the Workers' Party in the North, South Korean activists floated balloons carrying anti-Pyongyang pamphlets across the border that were then shot at by the North's military. Some shots landed south of the border, prompting Seoul's military to return fire. Pyongyang has threatened to "annihilate" those responsible for the pamphlet campaign.

Earlier this month, South Korea's Ministry of Defense concluded in its annual audit report that North Korea has set its sights on unification and is readying for war. Those preparations have in the last year included increased missile tests and acquisition of rocket launchers, the doubling of military training exercise participants, and enhanced attack capabilities.

Despite the rising tensions, three officials from Pyongyang made an unexpected visit to South Korea on Oct. 4, offering to hold high-level talks with Seoul officials beginning in late October or early November.