North and South Korea kicked off their first formal talks in more than two years on Tuesday, with both sides expressing optimism ahead of discussions on how the North's athletes can attend the Winter Olympics in the South despite tensions.
Regardless of its narrow, primarily sporting agenda, the meeting is being closely watched by world leaders eager for any sign of a reduction in tensions on the Korean peninsula amid rising fears over North Korea's development of nuclear weapons and defiance of United Nations Security Council resolutions.
"We came to this meeting today with the thought of giving our brethren, who have high hopes for this dialogue, invaluable results as the first present of the year...," said a head of North Korea's delegation Ri Son Gwon.
North Korea entered the talks with a "serious and sincere stance", said Ri, chairman of the North's Committee for the Peaceful Reunification of the Fatherland.
His counterpart, South Korea's Unification Minister Cho Myoung-gyon, also expressed optimism.
"Our talks began after North and South Korea were severed for a long time, but I believe the first step is half the trip," said Cho. "It would be good for us to make that 'good present' you mentioned earlier."
The two sides are discussing North Korea's participation in the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics and the Paralympics as well as the improvement of inter-Korean relations.
Cho has said his delegation is also preparing to discuss resuming reunions of family members separated by the Korean War, which ended in a ceasefire and technically left the two Koreas still at war
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