BBC Online :
North and South Korea are holding top-level talks amid growing tension, the South’s Unification Ministry told Yonhap news agency.
Senior aides to the two countries’ leaders met at the Panmunjom truce village on the border, reports said.
North Korea had threatened “strong military action” if the South did not stop border loudspeaker broadcasts.
Following an exchange of fire on Thursday, North Korea declared a “semi-state of war”, state media reported.
No media organisations are present at the talks, which are taking place inside the demilitarised zone which divides the two Koreas.
South Korea said ahead of the talks that it would be represented by national security adviser Kim Kwan-jin and Unification Minister Hong Yong-pyo, and the North would send senior officials Hwang Pyong-so and Kim Yong-gon.
Hwang is seen by many analysts as North Korean leader Kim Jong-un’s second-in-command.
North and South Korea are holding top-level talks amid growing tension, the South’s Unification Ministry told Yonhap news agency.
Senior aides to the two countries’ leaders met at the Panmunjom truce village on the border, reports said.
North Korea had threatened “strong military action” if the South did not stop border loudspeaker broadcasts.
Following an exchange of fire on Thursday, North Korea declared a “semi-state of war”, state media reported.
No media organisations are present at the talks, which are taking place inside the demilitarised zone which divides the two Koreas.
South Korea said ahead of the talks that it would be represented by national security adviser Kim Kwan-jin and Unification Minister Hong Yong-pyo, and the North would send senior officials Hwang Pyong-so and Kim Yong-gon.
Hwang is seen by many analysts as North Korean leader Kim Jong-un’s second-in-command.
