DPRK offers to ROK holding vice ministerial-level talks on Jan 17

SEOUL -- The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) offered Monday to hold vice ministerial-level talks with the Republic of Korea (ROK) on Jan 17 at the truce village of Panmunjom to discuss the DPRK's participation in ROK-hosted Winter Olympics, local media reported.

The DPRK proposed holding the working-level dialogue at the Peace House in Panmunjom from 10 am local time Wednesday to discuss details on the dispatch of its delegation to the 2018 Winter Olympics and Paralympic Games scheduled to run from February to March in the ROK's eastern county of Pyeongchang.

Seoul offered last week to hold the vice ministerial-level talks on Monday, but Pyongyang made the counterproposal, offering to hold talks first about the dispatch of its art troupe to Pyeongchang which were currently underway.

For the vice ministerial-level talks, the three-member DPRK delegation will be led by Jon Jong-su, vice chairman of the Committee for the Peaceful Reunification of the Fatherland.

The ROK already suggested its three-member delegation to be headed by Vice Unification Minister Chun Hae-sung.

The ROK and the DPRK held the ministerial-level dialogue last week, agreeing that the DPRK will dispatch its delegation, including athletes, cheering squads and arts group, to the South Korea-hosted winter sports event.

The two sides also agreed to hold a separate dialogue on military affairs to ease tensions on the Korean Peninsula.