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Inter-Korean military line restored after 23 months

By Jennie Oh
South and North Korea's miliary hotline to operate normally from Wednesday morning local time. Photo Courtesy of EPA-EFE/Jung Ui-chel
South and North Korea's miliary hotline to operate normally from Wednesday morning local time. Photo Courtesy of EPA-EFE/Jung Ui-chel

SEOUL, South Korea, Jan. 9 (UPI) -- North Korea reconnected a military hotline to the South as the two Koreas on Tuesday held high-level discussions for the first time in more than two years.

Seoul's Unification Ministry said the North had notified the South that it had reopened the direct channel during the five-a-side session in the morning, which focused on the North's participation in the Pyeongchang Olympics and other ways to improve their ties.

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The hotline will operate normally from Wednesday 8 a.m., according to the Ministry.

It said the South later confirmed the line had been restored, after testing the connection in the afternoon.

The Sohae military line at the western coast of the peninsula was previously used to exchange information on movements in and out of the Kaesong Industrial Complex, a joint venture between the two Koreas.

The North severed the line as well as a border communication channel in February 2016 after South Korea decided to close down the joint industrial complex.

Following the North's leader Kim Jong Un's peace overture to the South on New Year's Day, the North reestablished the border hotline running through Panmunjom village.

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With the Sohae line up and running after a year and eleven months, all inter-Korean channels have been normalized, according to Tongil News.

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