North, South Korea resume talks at border town

The first high-level talks in nearly a year between South Korea and North Korea have resumed on the border after a marathon meeting between senior military officials who have been pushed to the brink of confrontation.

The talks started at 3.30pm local time (06:30 GMT) on Sunday, after a 10-hour meeting adjourned at 4.15am, the South Korean president’s office reported.

The rivals, who are trying to defuse mounting tensions, began meeting in the border village of Panmunjom on Saturday night.

The South Korean presidential office said  the country’s national security director, Kim Kwan-jin, and Unification Minister Hong Yong-pyo were conducting the talks with Hwang Pyong So, the top political officer for the Korean People’s Army, and Kim Yang Gon, a senior North Korean official responsible for South Korean affairs.

Hwang is considered by outside analysts to be North Korea’s second most important official after its leader Kim Jong Un.

(Al Jazeera)