South and North Korea's unification chiefs to lead inter-Korean talks

SEOUL, South Korea, Jan. 7 (UPI) -- South and North Korea's top unification officials will lead the high-level meeting Tuesday aimed at arranging the North's participation in the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics.

This comes after Pyongyang agreed on Friday to hold an inter-Korean dialogue for the first time in more than two years in the border village of Panmunjom.

The North sent a list of its representatives to the South, using the direct communication channel between the two Koreas, Seoul's Unification Ministry said.

Ri Son Gwon, Chairman of the North's Committee for Peaceful Reunification, was named the chief delegate, SBS reported.

Ri is considered one of the North's key negotiators on inter-Korean talks, known for his hardline stance on the South.

Last week, he announced the regime's decision to reopen the inter-Korean communication line which runs across the Panmunjom truce village.

Other members of the delegation include senior officials of the CPR Jon Jong Su and Hwang Chung Song, a high-ranking sports official Won Kil U and Ri Kyong Sik, member of the National Olympic Committee of the Democratic People's Republic of North Korea.

Seoul shared its lineup with the North on Saturday after the two sides began working-level discussions on the Tuesday talks.

Led by Unification Minister Cho Myoung Gyon, members of the South Korean delegation include Unification Vice Minister Chun Hae Sung and Kim Ki Hong, Vice President of the PyeongChang Olympics' organizing committee.

Minister Cho has represented the South in inter-Korean talks since the mid-1990s, including negotiations on reunions of separated families, humanitarian assistance to the North as well as economic cooperation including the launch of the Kaesong Industrial Complex.

Seoul hopes the five-a-side meeting this week will also have room for discussion on improving inter-Korean ties, the Unification Ministry said.

It added that the two Koreas will use the Panmunjom hotline to arrange further details of the upcoming talks.

North Korean media on Sunday also stressed the need for inter-Korean cooperation, Yonhap reported.

The Korean Central News Agency said in an article that ties can only be improved when both sides work together and that "practical actions" are needed to foster reconciliation, unity and reunification.