Park urges regular inter-Korean talks to improve ties

President Park Geun-hye called Monday for regular inter-Korean talks to improve relations following a surprise visit to South Korea by top North Korean officials.

"I hope that the two Koreas will open the door for peace through dialogue on the occasion of the visit," Park said in a meeting with her top aides.

Her comments came two days after the North Koreans met with South Korean officials in Incheon, a port city west of Seoul, on the sidelines of the closing ceremony for the Asian Games.

The two sides agreed to hold another high-level talks with South Korea in late October or early November during their meeting on Saturday -- the highest-level meeting between South and North Korea in five years.

The North Korean delegation was led by Hwang Pyong-so, the North Korean military's top political officer, who is believed to be the second most powerful man in North Korea. It also included Choe Ryong-hae, a senior secretary for the Workers' Party, and Kim Yang-gon, who is in charge of Pyongyang's relations with Seoul.

Park instructed officials to make thorough preparations for the upcoming talks.

"We should make efforts to ensure that the high-level contact will lay the groundwork for a peaceful unification by holding regular inter-Korean dialogue, not just a one-time dialogue," Park said.

She also said she expects North Korea to demonstrate its willingness to improve inter-Korean relations through action.

The two Koreas had held the first high-level talks in February, though no major progress has since been made yet mainly due to tensions over a series of missile and rocket launches by North Korea. (Yonhap)