Russia welcomes talks between DPRK, ROK

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Russia has welcomed the contact between the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) and the Republic of Korea (ROK), after the first talks between the two sides in more than two years.

Officials from DPRK and ROK met Tuesday to discuss military tensions and arrangements for the Winter Olympics, which South Korea hosts in Pyeongchang next month.

They agreed that the DPRK can send a delegation to the games which will include athletes, high-ranking officials and a cheering squad.

The ROK also said it was prepared to temporarily lift some sanctions to facilitate the visit.

South Korea's Unification Minister Cho Myung-Gyun (L) shakes hands with North Korean chief delegate Ri Son-Gwon (R) during their meeting at the border truce village of Panmunjom on January 9, 2018. /VCG Photo

In Moscow, a Kremlin spokesman told the Russian state news agency TASS that the dialogue was the only way to ease tensions on the Korean Peninsula.

Russian presidential press secretary Dmitry Peskov said, “We welcome direct contacts between representatives of the two Koreas."

“We believe it is only possible to achieve de-escalation of tensions through this dialogue, and this is precisely the dialogue the Russian leadership said was necessary.”

Russia previously urged the two countries to talk face-to-face on many occasions, calling it “a pity, on both a human and political level” when the two sides declined the opportunity for direct contact in Moscow last year in October.

Officials from both sides met on Tuesday at the truce village Panmunjom at the demilitarized zone.

They also discussed other measures to improve relations, including ROK proposals for another round of family reunifications during February’s Lunar New Year holiday.

The ROK also proposed that the two sides march together at the Winter Olympics opening ceremony, for the first time since the 2007 Asian Winter Games in China.

The DPRK announced it had finished technical work to restore a military hotline to the ROK, with communications to resume on Wednesday, after being cut in February 2016.

The meeting is being closely watched by world leaders, who are hoping for a de-escalation of tensions on the Korean Peninsula.