North, South Korea hold military talks after two shooting incidents: report

Hwang, North Korea’s presumptive No. 2, and other members of Pyongyang’s inner circle met with South Korean officials Saturday in the rivals’ highest level face-to-face talks in five years, a possible indication that both sides are interested in pursuing better ties after months of animosity. (Source: AP)

Hopes for better relations were given impetus after a group of high-level North Korean officials made a rare visit to South Korea earlier this month and agreed to resume senior-level talks. However, the meeting Wednesday at the border village of Panmunjom between generals from across the border was unrelated.

After Friday’s gunfire exchange, South Korea said it would sternly deal with any further provocation by North Korea, but stressed the door for dialogue remains open. North Korea urged South Korea to stop hostile acts such as dropping leaflets if it wants improved ties.

North Korea’s National Defense Commission Vice Chairman Hwang Pyong So, second left, and North Korea’s ruling Workers Party secretaries, Choe Ryong Hae, left, and Kim Yang Gon, meet with South Korean Unification Minister Ryoo Kihl-jae, right, South Korean Prime Minister Chung Hong-won, second right, and South Korean President Park Geun-hye’s National Security Adviser Kim Kwan-jin , third right, meet as they arrive to attend the closing ceremony for the 17th Asian Games in Incheon, South Korea, Saturday, Oct. 4, 2014. (Source: AP)

Wednesday’s meeting of generals represents their first military talks since early 2011, Yonhap news agency reported citing unidentified government and ruling party sources.

Yonhap said the talks were expected to focus on how to ease tensions along the sea boundary, the scene of several bloody inter-Korean naval skirmishes in recent years, as well as discuss balloons carrying leaflets.

South Korean army soldiers stand guard at a military check point at the Imjingak Pavilion near the border village of Panmunjom, which has separated the two Koreas since the Korean War, in Paju, South Korea, Wednesday, Sept. 17, 2014. (Source: AP)

North Korea has long demanded South Korea prohibit activists from launching leaflets, but South Korea has refused citing freedom of speech. Senior opposition lawmaker Park Jie-won told a party meeting that the talks were to start at 10 a.m., according to a statement posted on his website.

A bullet mark, center, is left on the ground after North Korea fired in Yeoncheon, South Korea, near the border with North Korea, Friday, Oct. 10, 2014. (Source: AP)

Seoul’s Defense Ministry and Unification Ministry said it couldn’t confirm the report. Yonhap said North Korea had requested South Korea not to publicize the meeting.