By Yi Whan-woo


South Korea asked to resume dialogue on denuclearization during high-level talks with North Korea, Tuesday, according to a senior unification ministry official.

The two sides met to mainly discuss North Korea's participation in the PyeongChang Winter Olympics as decreed by its leader Kim Jong-un.

Seoul then adroitly touched on issues over the Kim regime's nuclear program in the first cross-border dialogue held in more than two years.

Pyongyang responded that nuclear issues should be resolved through dialogue and negotiations.

"We called for cooperation on the basis of mutual cooperation and demanded that any acts that heighten tension on the Korean Peninsula should be suspended," Vice Unification Minister Chun Hae-sung told reporters after the high-level talks at the truce village of Panmunjeom. "We also demanded the prompt resumption of talks in denuclearization to establish peace."

The North Korean delegation, led by its Committee for the Peaceful Reunification of Korea (CPRK) Chairman Ri Son-gon, responded that Pyongyang has "resolute will to use the high-level talks as a groundbreaking moment" on inter-Korean relations, according to Chun.

"They told us that the nuclear issues should be dealt with through dialogue and negotiations in order to guarantee peace on the peninsula while promoting reconciliation and unity at the same time," Chun said.

Other pending issues brought up by the South Korean side included resuming military talks, reunions of the separated families around the Lunar New Year, which falls on Feb. 16, and Red Cross talks to prepare for such cross-border reunions.

"The two sides shared thoughts in a comprehensive and detailed manner over the issues each other were interested in," Chun said.

He was among the five members of the Seoul delegation led by Unification Minister Cho Myoung-gyon.

Seoul hurriedly offered to hold the high-level talks after Kim showed his willingness to send a delegation to South Korea's first Winter Olympics during his New Year's address last week.

Tuesday's dialogue was considered a pivotal chance to make a breakthrough in inter-Korean relations for President Moon Jae-in, who has favored dialogue with Kim, despite the latter's ever-growing nuclear ambitions.

Kim has declared his country a nuclear state and refused to accept issues on denuclearization as a condition to resume dialogue with the United States and the rest of the world.