韩国提议举行韩朝部长级会谈

A senior South Korean official has offered to hold ministerial-level talks with North Korea to discuss "mutual concerns," including a reunion of families separated by the Korean War.

一名韩国高层官员表示，愿与朝鲜举行部长级会谈，讨论“共同关心的问题”，包括安排一次韩战离散家人团聚活动。

Ryo Kihl-jae, the South's unification minister in charge of North Korean affairs, told a news conference Monday that a formal request had been sent to PyongYang. He said he is willing to discuss any issues of mutual concern.

负责朝鲜事务的韩国统一部部长柳吉在星期一举行的记者会上说，已将一份正式邀请函递交平壤。他表示，愿意与朝鲜方面讨论任何双方共同关心的问题。

If agreed to, the talks would take place next month in Pyongyang with Ryo's counterpart, Kim Yang Gon.

如果平壤做出肯定的答复，柳吉在将于下月在平壤与朝鲜负责韩国事务的官员金养建举行会谈。

The two countries had agreed on high-level talks scheduled for two months ago after a surprise visit to Seoul in October by a high-powered delegation from the North. However, North Korea angrily backed out when activists in the South sent anti-Pyongyang leaflets across the border via balloons.

一个朝鲜重量级代表团十月对首尔进行出人意料的访问，韩朝双方同意举行高层会谈。但韩国活动人士放飞带有反平壤传单的气球后，朝鲜对此举表示愤怒，并搁置了会谈。