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Seoul reiterates its offer on top military officials’ dialogue with South Korea

"The Ministry of National Defense once again calls on the North to respond positively to our offer as soon as possible," the statement said

MOSCOW, July 21. /TASS/. The Defense Ministry of South Korea reiterated its offer to North Korea to hold bilateral talks at a level of top military officials in a bid to ease tensions between two neighboring countries, Yonhap news agency reported on Friday.

South Korea officially proposed North Korea on Monday to hold talks on the settlement of the ongoing disputes at a level of defense ministers of both countries in the border village of Panmunjom on July 21.

"The North Korean side has not issued a position so far," Yonhap cited the South Korean Defense Ministry as saying in its statement. "Accordingly, it has become virtually difficult to open the talks today."

"The Ministry of National Defense once again calls on the North to respond positively to our offer as soon as possible," the statement said.

The initially proposed venue for the inter-Korean military talks on July 21 was the vicinity of Tongilgak in a North Korean building located in the truce village of Panmunjom.

Seoul also offered North Korea on Monday this week to restore Red Cross talks in order to resume family reunions ahead of the Chuseok holiday in early October, but no reply came on behalf of North Korea regarding this issue.

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FACTBOX: Collective Security Treaty Organization

The Collective Security Treaty came into force on April 20, 1994 to herald the emergence what would eventually become the Collective Security Treaty Organization. The six member-countries are Russia, Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan

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