S. Korea media: first high-level military talks with N. Korea in seven years

South Korean media has said that high-ranking military officials from both sides of the border have met for secret talks. Their last face-to-face meeting was in 2007.

Deutsche Welle, 15 Oct 2014

Recent altercations along the North and South Korean border prompted a meeting between the nation's military officials on Wednesday, according to reports circulating through the South Korean media.

South Korea's defense ministry declined to comment on the news.

Last week, the neighboring countries traded fire twice. The first incident occurred when a North Korean navy vessel sailed into southern territory in the Yellow Sea near the island of Yeonpyeong.

The second exchange of fire was reported on Friday. Activists from the South had launched balloons carrying tens of thousands of leaflets denouncing the dictatorship in Pyongyang. Northern forces shot at the South first, which then retaliated with rifle fire.

There were no reports of causalities from either incident.

South Korean news agency Yonhap reported on Wednesday that the military officials had held their secret meeting in the border truce village of Panmunjom (pictured).

Tensions have remained high over the past year between Pyongyang and Seoul in light of repeated threats of attack by northern dictator Kim Jong Un and the nearly six-month closure of the joint industrial park Kaesong.

However, relations appeared to be improving earlier this month when North Korean officials agreed to resume high-level dialogue with Seoul during a surprise visit to their southern neighbor.

Meanwhile, speculation surrounding the young North Korean dictator's grip on power continued to provide fodder for the rumor mills this week. Kim Jong Un disappeared from the public eye on September 3 - believed to be due to ill health - only to reemerge suddenly in North Korean media reports on Tuesday.

However, the state news agency published photos, but no video, raising further questions about the dictator's health.

While the Korean War ended over half a century ago, the neighboring countries technically remain at war because they signed an armistice, not a peace treaty.

kms/rc (AP, Reuters)