DPRK to send high-level delegation to ROK-hosted Winter Olympics

SEOUL -- The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) offered Tuesday to send a high-ranking delegation as well as athletes and cheering squads to the Republic of Korea (ROK)-hosted Winter Olympics, heralding a thaw in inter-Korean relations.

During the inter-Korean talks, which started earlier in the day in the truce village of Panmunjom, the ROK side asked the DPRK to dispatch many of its athletes and cheering squads to the 2018 Winter Olympics, according to Seoul's unification ministry.

The DPRK side responded more positively, saying it will dispatch its high-ranking delegation, the delegation of the National Olympic Committee, athletes, cheering squads, a performing arts team, a demonstration team for traditional martial art Taekwondo, visitors as well as press corps.

The two sides exchanged views on each other's needs during the plenary session for the first inter-Korean talks in around two years, which lasted for about an hour from 10:00 am local time (0100 GMT).

The session was followed by a meeting between chief negotiators from the ROK and the DPRK which continued for 50 minutes from 11:30 am (0230 GMT).