Government agrees to talks with the North

Seoul (AP):

South Korea disclosed yesterday that it accepted a North Korean proposal to hold high-level defence talks a day after the leaders of the United States and China called for better communication between the two Koreas.

The talks could prove significant if Seoul and Pyongyang can put aside military and political tensions that soared to their worst level in years in 2010 and lay the groundwork for a resumption of long-stalled international negotiations on ending North Korea's nuclear programmes. Lower-level defence talks last year foundered over the issue of the sinking of a South Korean naval ship in disputed waters.

The agenda this time should include North Korean assurances that it will take "responsible measures" over the ship sinking and another deadly incident last year and not provoke further tensions, said Lee Jong-joo, a spokeswoman for South Korea's Unification Ministry, which is in charge of inter-Korean affairs.

North Korea launched artillery at a South Korean island in November in an attack that killed four people. It denies, however, attacking the navy ship that sank in March, killing 46 sailors.

Inter-Korean relations have been complicated by a power transition under way in the North, where leader Kim Jong Il is believed to be grooming his youngest son Kim Jong Un to succeed him. Some analysts say the ship sinking and the artillery attack were carried out to display the younger Kim's mettle to North Korea's military and bolster his legitimacy as the next leader.

The Unification Ministry's Lee said North Korea had proposed talks earlier yesterday to ease tensions and "express opinions" about the two incidents. South Korea's Defence Ministry said the North suggested talks at the level of minister.