2010-09-30 09:43

SEOUL - The Republic of Korea (ROK) and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) Thursday began military talks, Seoul's defense officials said.

The ROK's defense ministry said Wednesday Pyongyang agreed to hold working-level military talks on Thursday, which will mark the first such talks in nearly two years.

In a message to the ROK, the DPRK agreed to hold the talks at the truce village of Panmunjom on September 30, the date Seoul suggested, the defense ministry reportedly said.

The two Koreas are expected to discuss pending military issues possibly including Pyongyang's alleged torpedo attack on a ROK's warship in March in what will be the first military contact after the incident, which killed 46 sailors.

The last such military talks between Seoul and Pyongyang, former wartime rivals, were held in October 2008.