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North and South Korea in second night of talks North and South Korea in second night of talks
(about 3 hours later)
Top-level talks between North and South Korea to defuse a border stand-off have continued for a second night, officials from the South say. Top-level talks between North and South Korea to defuse a border stand-off have continued through a second night, officials from the South say.
The first session of talks lasted 10 hours, finishing just before dawn on Sunday. No details have emerged. By Monday morning, few details had emerged from the talks, which are taking place inside the heavily guarded Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) at the border.
Senior aides to the two countries' leaders are meeting at the Panmunjom truce village on the border. The South has said it is concerned about continuing large-scale North Korean troop movements.
The talks started before a deadline set by North Korea for the South to stop broadcasting anti-communist propaganda. Tensions have been rising on the peninsula for weeks.
It wants banks of loudspeakers, which have been blasting news bulletins, weather forecasts and music from the South to be dismantled. Both countries are on alert for military conflict, after tensions erupted in a brief exchange of fire at the border on Thursday.
Pyongyang had threatened to open fire if Seoul failed to comply and moved artillery into positions to fire on the speakers. South Korea has evacuated almost 4,000 residents from border areas and warned that it would "retaliate harshly" to any acts of aggression.
As the second round began on Sunday afternoon, South Korea's military said the North was building up artillery units at the border and deploying submarines. On Monday, it said most of North Korea's submarines appeared to be away from their bases, and amphibious landing vessels had been deployed to the border, the Yonhap news agency reports.
Analysis: Steve Evans, BBC News, Seoul Meanwhile US and South Korean fighter jets have been flying in formation near the border.
No word has come from the talks which have lasted for more than 12 hours until dawn on Monday on the Korean peninsula. 'Critical situation'
The first night of talks also adjourned shortly before dawn, having lasted 10 hours. The talks, aimed at preventing an escalation of conflict, are taking place in Panmunjom, the abandoned "truce village" inside the DMZ.
The very fact they have talked so long may give some hope of defusing the current highly-armed stand-off. South Korea is represented by national security adviser Kim Kwan-jin and Unification Minister Hong Yong-pyo, while the North has sent senior officials Kim Yong-gon and Hwang Pyong-so, who is seen by many analysts as North Korean leader Kim Jong-un's second-in-command.
Optimists also draw slight hope from the North Korean use of the proper title for South Korea - Republic of Korea - rather than terms like "war-maniac puppet of the United States" which was used by North Korean state media a few days ago. A South Korean spokesman said they were "continuing talks for long hours in the midst of the critical situation" but gave no further details.
While the talks continue, both sides remain poised for aggression. All the same, the tense atmosphere has eased slightly, at least for the moment. Tensions have been building on the peninsula since earlier this month, when two South Korean soldiers were maimed by mine blasts in the DMZ.
No media organisations have been present at the talks, which have taken place inside the Demilitarised Zone (DMZ) dividing the two Koreas. Seoul said North Korea had planted the mines, but Pyongyang denied this.
South Korea said ahead of the talks that it would be represented by national security adviser Kim Kwan-jin and Unification Minister Hong Yong-pyo, and the North would send senior officials Hwang Pyong-so and Kim Yong-gon. In retaliation, the South began broadcasting anti-communist propaganda over the border, something it had not done for 10 years, infuriating the North which threatened the shell the loudspeakers.
Mr Hwang is seen by many analysts as North Korean leader Kim Jong-un's second-in-command. Then last Thursday, South Korea fired artillery rounds towards the North, after it came under a shelling attack. The North declared a "quasi state of war".
South Korea has evacuated almost 4,000 residents from border areas and warned that it would "retaliate harshly".
The current state of heightened tension started when two South Korean soldiers were seriously injured by landmines in the DMZ between the two countries.
South Korea said North Korea planted the mines; North Korea said that was absurd.
Both sides say the other then fired the first shot in artillery barrages.
US and South Korean fighter jets have been flying in formation near the border.
The US's top military officer has reaffirmed his country's "unwavering commitment" to South Korea's defence in a phone call to his South Korean counterpart.
The two Koreas remain technically at war, because the 1950-1953 conflict ended in an armistice, not a peace treaty.
Loudspeakers and psychological warfareLoudspeakers and psychological warfare
In 2004, South Korea and North Korea reached an agreement to dismantle their propaganda loudspeakers at the border.In 2004, South Korea and North Korea reached an agreement to dismantle their propaganda loudspeakers at the border.
The broadcasts were part of a programme of psychological warfare, according to South Korean newspaper Korea Times, to deliver outside news so that North Korean soldiers and border-area residents could hear it.The broadcasts were part of a programme of psychological warfare, according to South Korean newspaper Korea Times, to deliver outside news so that North Korean soldiers and border-area residents could hear it.
Mobilising the propagandists in North KoreaMobilising the propagandists in North Korea
The two Koreas remain technically at war, because the 1950-1953 conflict ended in an armistice, not a peace treaty.
The US's top military officer has reaffirmed his country's "unwavering commitment" to South Korea's defence in a phone call to his South Korean counterpart.