North and South Korea to resume peace talks

South Korea is to send a presidential envoy to North Korea next week to discuss improving relations between the two rival nations.

In a report by its foreign news outlet, the North Korean Government confirmed that the two sides will discuss "the grave situation facing the nation and issues of mutual concern related to inter-Korean ties".

North and South Korea have been involved in reconciliation talks for some years, but those talks fell apart last year after US President George W Bush verbally attacked the communist government in the North.

The Koreas have been divided since 1945 and the two countries currently share the most heavily armed border in the world.

About 37,000 US troops have been stationed in South Korea since the end of the 1950-1953 Korean War.