This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-26131487

The article has changed 9 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 1 Version 2
Two Koreas agree rare high-level talks Two Koreas agree rare high-level talks
(about 1 hour later)
Officials from North and South Korea are to hold rare high-level talks on Wednesday, Seoul has announced, ahead of family reunions planned for later this month.Officials from North and South Korea are to hold rare high-level talks on Wednesday, Seoul has announced, ahead of family reunions planned for later this month.
The meeting will take place at the border village of Panmunjom, a Unification Ministry spokesman said.The meeting will take place at the border village of Panmunjom, a Unification Ministry spokesman said.
No agenda had been set but the planned family reunions were expected to be discussed, he said.No agenda had been set but the planned family reunions were expected to be discussed, he said.
The agreement followed a proposal from North Korea to hold talks.The agreement followed a proposal from North Korea to hold talks.
One South Korean official said the invitation had arrived without warning, and had taken the government in Seoul by surprise, the BBC's Lucy Williamson in Seoul reports.One South Korean official said the invitation had arrived without warning, and had taken the government in Seoul by surprise, the BBC's Lucy Williamson in Seoul reports.
There is hope in Seoul that it might kick-start a regular dialogue, our correspondent adds.There is hope in Seoul that it might kick-start a regular dialogue, our correspondent adds.
The two Koreas are due to hold reunions of families divided by the partitioning of the Korean Peninsula at the end of the 1950-53 Korean War for five days from 20 February.The two Koreas are due to hold reunions of families divided by the partitioning of the Korean Peninsula at the end of the 1950-53 Korean War for five days from 20 February.
The last such reunions took place in 2010. But these reunions coincide with the start of US-South Korea joint military drills - annual exercises which anger North Korea.The last such reunions took place in 2010. But these reunions coincide with the start of US-South Korea joint military drills - annual exercises which anger North Korea.
Many in South Korea see those drills as the real test of Pyongyang's new approach, our correspondent says. Many in South Korea see Pyongyang's reaction as a test of its new approach, our correspondent says.
Last week Pyongyang threatened to cancel the reunions, warning that "dialogue and exercises of war" could not go hand in hand. In a news conference in Geneva on Tuesday, North Korea's ambassador to the UN, So Se Pyong, spoke of the need to terminate all hostile military actions which he described as the main obstacles to peace.
He called for the US and South Korea to suspend their planned military exercises, describing them as "of a sinister and dangerous nature".
Last week Pyongyang threatened to cancel the family reunions, warning that "dialogue and exercises of war" could not go hand in hand.
South Korea's deputy national security advisor will lead Seoul's delegation to Wednesday's talks, the ministry spokesman said.South Korea's deputy national security advisor will lead Seoul's delegation to Wednesday's talks, the ministry spokesman said.