ROK welcomes reopening of communication channel with DPRK

SEOUL - The presidential palace of the Republic of Korea (ROK) Blue House welcomed the reopening of communication channel with the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) Wednesday, saying it would indicate a restored inter-Korean dialogue in a regular way.

Yoon Young-chan, senior press secretary for ROK President Moon Jae-in, told reporters that the reopening had a great meaning, saying it would make possible inter-Korean talks in a regular manner.

The comments followed the DPRK's announcement earlier in the day that it will reopen the communication channel in the truce village of Panmunjom from 3:30 pm local time.

The inter-Korean communication channel had been cut off since the previous ROK government unilaterally closed down the inter-Korean industrial zone in the DPRK's border town of Kaesong following Pyongyang's fourth nuclear test in January 2016.

Seoul's unification ministry said in a government statement that it hailed Pyongyang's positive response to Seoul's offer Tuesday to resume the communication channel in Panmunjom.

It said the ROK will make working-level discussions on issues on the senior-level, inter-governmental dialogue, which Seoul proposed Tuesday to Pyongyang, through the restored communication channel.

The ROK offered to the DPRK holding such talks on Jan 9 to discuss the dispatch of the DPRK's delegation to the 2018 Winter Olympics set to be held in February in the ROK's eastern county of Pyeongchang.

The dialogue overture came a day after the DPRK's leader said in his New Year address that his country was willing to participate in the ROK-hosted winter sports event and talk with the ROK about the DPRK's delegation dispatch.