The Democratic People's Republic of Korea has said YES to talks with South Korea. The two sides will use a recently reopened hotline, to discuss the details of the high-level talks. Seoul will also exchange views with the DPRK on its potential participation in the Winter Olympics Games. CGTN's Nathan King tells us more.

After months of tensions, diplomacy is now moving fast on the Korean Peninsula.

A day after Washington agreed to suspend military exercises for the duration of the Winter Olympics, Pyongyang agreed to talks with Seoul next week.

A development welcomed by China.

DPRK's leader Kim Jong Un said he "was open to dialogue" in his New Year's day address. His counterpart in the South, President Moon Jae-in, quickly seized on this.

The hotline between the two countries has been reactivated. Now talks are confirmed for next Tuesday at the Village of Panmunjom - the so-called "Truce Village" the demilitarized zone.

This first high level dialogue between the two Korean states in over two years will ostensibly focus on whether the DPRK will send athletes to next month's Winter Olympic games being hosted by Seoul.

But also on the agenda, how to improve North/South relations. Hopes are that this new, constructive climate could lead to substantive talks on the DPRK's nuclear and ballistic missile program.

The suspension of military exercises by the U.S. is an apparent turnaround in U.S. policy. Up till now, the U.S. has declined any halt in joint military exercises as part of the White House policy of "maximum pressure" on the DPRK. The U.S. is now agreeing to one, saying the impending talks show the U.S. policy of sanctions and pressure is working.

The U.S. Department of Defense says that it's just delaying the exercises, and that the temporary suspension is not in response to any action the DPRK has taken. The White House says the pause is meant to focus energy and manpower on Olympic security.

NATHAN KING WASHINGTON "Washington is, in fact, responding to a request from Seoul to suspend the military exercises-and that response came after the positive New Year's message from DPRK leader Kim Jong Un. Any U.S. resistance to Seoul's approach could have done further damage to the alliance between the U.S. and the Republic of Korea. For now, the U.S. is going along. Nathan King, CGTN Washington."