S.Korea, DPRK start general-level military talks to ease military tensions

South Korea and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea on Thursday started general-level military talks at the border village of Panmunjom to ease military tensions, according to local media reports.

The inter-Korean dialogue between general-level military officers, the first of its kind in over 10 years, kicked off at 10am local time (0100 GMT) in Tongilgak, a DPRK building inside the Panmunjom that straddles the divided Koreas. The last general-grade military dialogue between the two sides was held in December 2007.

The five-member South Korean delegation was led by Maj. Gen. Kim Do-gyun, a senior-level official of the defense ministry in charge of inter-Korean military affairs.

The DPRK side, composed of five delegates, was headed by Lt. Gen. An Ik-san.

The chief South Korean delegate told reporters before heading for Panmunjom that he will discuss with his DPRK counterpart issues on the easing of inter-Korean military tensions and the schedule for inter-Korean talks between defense ministers.

Other issues on the dialogue agenda would possibly be the restoration of the inter-Korean military communications channel, the regularly-held military talks between the two sides and the establishment of hotline between defense ministers.

The inter-Korean military talks came after top DPRK leader Kim Jong Un and US President Donald Trump held the historic summit in Singapore Tuesday.