S.Korea, DPRK start working-level talks for security, protocol in inter-Korean s ...

South Korea and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) on Thursday started a working-level talks to discuss security and protocol issues for the upcoming inter-Korean summit later this month, South Korea's presidential office said.

The meeting kicked off at around 10 a.m. local time (0100 GMT) on the South Korean side of the border village of Panmunjom, according to the Blue House of South Korea.

The five-member South Korean delegation was led by Kim Sang-gyun, a senior director of the National Intelligence Service (NIS).

Four other Blue House officials attended the meeting are Cho Han-ki, protocol secretary to the president, Shin Yong-wook, a deputy chief for presidential security service, Kwun Hyuk-ki, director of the presidential press center, and Yun Kun-young, director for government situation room.

The DPRK delegation was led by Kim Chang-son, an official from the State Affairs Commission of the DPRK.

The working-level dialogue came ahead of the first summit between South Korean President Moon Jae-in and top DPRK leader Kim Jong Un scheduled for April 27 at Peace House, a Panmunjom building controlled by South Korea.

If held, Kim will become the first DPRK leader to step onto South Korean soil since the 1950-1953 Korean War ended in armistice. The Korean Peninsula remains technically in a state of war.

During the working-level talks, the two sides would discuss issues on security, protocol and media coverage.

Detailed schedules for the summit meeting and whether luncheon and banquet are to be held will be discussed.

Separately, the two sides agreed to hold a working-level dialogue on Saturday on the installation of a communication hotline between Moon and Kim.

The leaders of the two Koreas agreed to set up a direct hotline of dialogue and have the first phone conversation before the agreed summit is held in late April.