Seoul to send delegation to Pyongyang

SEOUL: South Korea will despatch a delegation led by senior security officials for a two-day visit to North Korea starting today, the presidential Blue House said yesterday, as United States President Donald Trump hints he is ready to talk to Pyongyang.

North Korea said it was not begging to talk to Washington and denounced US-South Korean joint-military exercises planned for next month, warning that it would take counter measures against the US if they went ahead.

The Blue House said National Security Office head Chung Euiyong and National Intelligence Service chief Suh Hoon, a veteran of past negotiations with the North, would be among the 10member delegation to Pyongyang.

It said the visit aimed to lower tensions on the Korean peninsula and possibly arrange talks between North Korea and the US. After the visit, envoys will travel to the US to brief officials.