South and North Korea opened today a new round of high-level talks, with Seoul hoping to keep up the momentum of renewed reconciliation following the historic test run of trains across the inter-Korean border. According to North Korean news agency Yonhap, the five-member North Korean negotiation team, led by Kwon Ho-ung, chief councilor of the Cabinet, arrived here to attend the four-day meeting at the Grand Hilton Hotel on a direct charter flight from Pyongyang. "Good to see you," Kwon told reporters upon arrival at Incheon International Airport. He did not make any further comment. A total of 26 North Koreans accompanied Kwon to the talks, the 21st since the first-ever summit of the leaders of the two Koreas, which was held in Pyongyang in June 2000. Unification Minister Lee Jae-joung, Kwon's South Korean counterpart, is to host a welcoming dinner for the North Korean delegation later Tuesday. The welcoming dinners at previous talks in the South were hosted by the country's prime minister, but the two sides agreed to reduce the number of guests and simplify the procedure, South Korean officials said. -- SPA
