DPRK to send high-level delegation to ROK-hosted Winter Olympics

The inter-Korean dialogue was first held since the new ROK government under President Moon Jae-in was inaugurated in May last year. The latest was held in December 2015 between vice ministerial-level officials from the two sides.

The five-member ROK delegation was led by Unification Minister Cho Myoung-gyon, while five delegates from the DPRK were headed by Ri Son-gwon, chief of the Committee for the Peaceful Reunification of the Fatherland.

Ri said in his introductory remarks that he hoped to give the first New Year's gift to people on the Korean Peninsula, which would be a "precious outcome" of the talks, by dealing well with this meeting in a sincere manner.

In response, Cho said the Pyeongchang Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games was anticipated to become a peace festival as the delegation, which he described as "precious visitors," would come from the DPRK.

Cho said the inter-Korean dialogue was resumed after a long hiatus, asking his DPRK counterpart to continue talks with a firm will and patience.

Signs of a thaw in inter-Korean relations emerged as top DPRK leader Kim Jong-un said in his New Year's address that his country was willing to participate in the 2018 Winter Olympics and talk with ROK about it.

The following day, ROK proposed to the DPRK holding the high-level intergovernmental talks. Pyongyang accepted the dialogue overture without changing the timing or venue that ROK had suggested.

Before leaving for the dialogue venue, the ROK chief delegate told reporters that he will face the meeting "calmly and not hurriedly" to make the 2018 Winter Olympics a peace festival and move a first step toward improving inter-Korean relations.

The ROK delegation arrived at Peace House, the dialogue venue in Panmunjom at 8:46 am (2346 GMT Monday).

The DPRK delegation arrived at a place near the Peace House at around 9:30 am (0030 GMT), crossing the military demarcation line (MDL) on foot to the dialogue venue.