The unification ministry of the Republic of Korea (ROK) said Tuesday that it was preparing to launch the joint liaison office with the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) later this week.

An unnamed unification ministry official told local reporters that the ROK was preparing to open the joint inter-Korean liaison office at the DPRK's border town of Kaesong on September 14.

The two Koreas agreed to open the joint liaison office before the summit between ROK President Moon Jae-in and DPRK top leader Kim Jong Un, scheduled to be held in Pyongyang for three days from September 18.

The opening ceremony was forecast to be attended by some 100 ROK and about 50 DPRK officials.

The joint liaison office was expected to increase communications between the two Koreas on a regular basis.