SOUTH AND NORTH KOREAN GENERALS, WHO HAVE HAD FEW MEETINGS IN THE PAST, WILL HOLD TALKS NEXT WEEK ON MEASURES TO EASE TENSION AND POSSIBLY SET UP RAIL LINKS ACROSS THE HEAVILY MILITARISED BORDER, SEOUL SAID ON FRIDAY, ACCORDING TO REUTERS. SOUTH KOREA IS KEEN TO SET UP A SYSTEM FOR TRAINS TO CROSS THE BORDER. TRACKS RUN FROM THE SOUTH AND INTO NORTH KOREA, BUT SOUTH KOREAN OFFICIALS HAVE SAID THE NORTH'S POWERFUL MILITARY WAS RELUCTANT TO SIGN OFF ON A PLAN FOR THROUGH TRAINS. AFTER THE 1950-1953 KOREAN WAR, WHICH ENDED IN A TRUCE AND NOT A PEACE TREATY, MILITARY OFFICIALS FROM THE TWO KOREAS DID NOT MEET FOR DECADES. BUT GENERALS MET TWICE IN 2004 AND ONCE THIS YEAR, AGREEING ON MEASURES SUCH AS SETTING UP HOTLINES AND TAKING DOWN PROPAGANDA SIGNS. TIES HAVE WARMED IN RECENT YEARS BETWEEN THE TWO KOREAS, WHICH ARE STILL TECHNICALLY AT WAR. THE GENERALS WILL MEET FOR THREE DAYS FROM NEXT TUESDAY, THE SOUTH'S DEFENCE MINISTRY SAID.
