Art up for discussion as DPRK and ROK settle date for talks

SEOUL - The Democratic People's Republic of Korea and the Republic of Korea have agreed to hold working-level talks at the Tongil Pavilion on the DPRK side of the truce village of Panmunjom on Monday, the ROK's Unification Ministry said in a statement on Saturday.

On the agenda will be the possibility of the DPRK sending an art troupe to the ROK-hosted Winter Olympics, the ministry said.

Seoul's delegation to Monday's meeting will include an official from the Culture Ministry, the head of the Korean Symphony Orchestra and its art director and an official from the Unification Ministry, the ministry said.

They will meet a delegation from Pyongyang headed by the director of the Arts and Performance Bureau of the Culture Ministry. A conductor and two other officials from a DPRK orchestra will also be part of the delegation.

Inter-Korean talks are held alternately at the Peace House, which is on the ROK side of Panmunjom in the Demilitarized Zone, and Tongil Pavilion in the DPRK.

The ministry said earlier on Saturday that the DPRK had proposed holding talks on Jan 15 about the matter.

"In addition, the ministry also requested for a quick response for South Korea's proposal on Jan 12 to have working-level talks about the North's participation in Pyongchang Winter Olympics," added the ministry.

Officials from both countries earlier this week said they had agreed to hold negotiations to resolve problems and avert accidental conflict, after their first official dialogue in more than two years amid high tension over the DPRK's weapons program.

The ROK had also said that it is seeking to form a combined women's hockey team with the DPRK. The DPRK's International Olympic Committee official said the committee is considering the proposal, while the two sides will also have talks hosted by the IOC on Jan 20.

In a joint statement after 11 hours of talks on Tuesday, the countries said they had agreed to hold military to military talks and that the DPRK would send a large delegation to next month's Winter Olympics.

Meanwhile, the DPRK on Sunday continued its public relations offensive on the ROK, calling on Seoul to help create conditions for future national reunification.

The official daily Rodong Sinmun said in an article that to realize national reconciliation and unity is key for creating an environment for national reunification in the future.

"To the Korean nation that has undergone the tragedy of division for many years, it is a vital demand which can no longer be delayed to end the history of confrontation," the Rodong Sinmun said.

The daily called on Seoul to "lend an ear to the voices of the people", "remove all walls of confrontation" and "sincerely come out to the road" to better relations with the DPRK.

Xinhua - Reuters - Ap