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South, North Koreas to have talks in Panmunjom

The negotiations are due at 6p.m. local time (12:00 Moscow time) and will begin one hour after expiration of Pyongyang’s ultimatum to Seoul

SEOUL, August 22. /TASS/. Representatives of South Korea and the DPRK have agreed for negotiations soon in Panmunjom, the Yonhap News Agency reported on Saturday.

The agency says the negotiations are due at 6p.m. local time (12:00 Moscow time).

Noteworthy, the talks will begin one hour after expiration of Pyongyang’s ultimatum to Seoul.

On August 19, North Korea sent a letter to the UN Security Council requesting to convene an urgent meeting amid the US-South Korean military exercises that Pyongyang says pose a threat to the international peace and security.

Diplomats say so far no UN Security Council meetings have been scheduled.

The situation on the Korean peninsula deteriorated seriously on Thursday after the North and South exchanged artillery fire in the western part of the Demilitarized Zone. Seoul claims the North was the first to open fire and the artillery shelling was aimed at the South’s propaganda loudspeakers installed nearby. Pyongyang rejects the allegations.

On August 20, North Korea forwarded an ultimatum to South Korea to stop broadcasting propaganda through loudspeakers, to dismantle the equipment within next 48 hours and threatened military action otherwise. The deadline expires on Saturday morning local time. Seoul declared it would not meet Pyongyang’s demands.

Some media also report at the upcoming talks South Korea will be represented by a presidential aide on national security, and North Korea - by the country leader Kim Jong-un’s closest ally.