ROK, DPRK agree to defuse tension after talks

"It is very merciful to grab an opportunity for developing inter-Korean relations and preventing the recurrence of provocative acts through this round of high-level inter-governmental contact between the two Koreas," Kim Kwan-jin, ROK President Park Geun-hye's chief security advisor, told a press briefing.

Kim held the 43-hour talks with his DPRK counterpart Hwang Pyong So, chief military aide to top DPRK leader Kim Jong Un, in the truce village of Panmunjom inside the demilitarized zone (DMZ) dividing the two sides.

ROK's Unification Minister Hong Yong-pyo and DPRK's United Front Department Director Kim Yang Gon in charge of Seoul- Pyongyang relations each accompanied them to the closed-door meeting.

The top-level dialogue ran from Sunday to Tuesday after the 10- hour first session from Saturday afternoon.

It was the unusual length of talks between the two sides and a ROK news channel reported that it took the longest among the past 700 or so inter-Korean dialogues.

Kim said the ROK side focused, during the dialogue, on winning the DPRK's apology and pledge to prevent the recurrence of a series of incidents, including the mine blasts.

During the talks, the top-ranking aides repeated the meeting and adjournment, during which they reported to their respective leaders, according to local media reports.