South Korea Offers North New Video-Conference System for Virtual Talks

SEOUL, July 30 (Sputnik) - South Korea has proposed establishing a videoconference system for negotiations with North Korea during the pandemic pursuant to the two countries' agreement to restore official communications, Unification Minister Lee In-young said on Friday.

On Tuesday, South Korea and North Korea agreed to reopen the so-called communication channels, a facility for high-level bilateral negotiations which had remained suspended for over a year.

"Yesterday [Thursday], we proposed to discuss the issue of creating a videoconference system through our liaison office, and North Korea received the document with our proposition", Lee told a press conference.

The minister said that South Korea's government would do its best to complete the virtual conference system as soon as possible to have the opportunity to improve the relations with North even in the trying times of the pandemic.

"Now that the communication channels between the two Koreas are restored, we will discuss our ideas on creating channels of communication with North and will continue the preparations so that the dialogue can take place any time," he added.

The suspension of inter-Korean communication channels was initiated by North last summer, as it was angered by South's inaction to hold back anti-Pyongyang leaflets from being flown across the border.