Seoul, Jul 17 (IANS): South Korean authorities on Friday invited North Korea security talks slated for September in Seoul, authorities said.
South Korea has asked the North Korean Ministry of the People's Armed Forces to send a vice minister to the Seoul Defence Dialogue (SDD) scheduled to run from September 9-11, Yonhap News Agency quoted a ministry official as saying.
"Since the launch of the SDD in 2012, it is the first time South Korea has invited North Korea," the official said.
The invitation called on North Korea to "discuss a variety of items on peace and security, as well as global issues", the official added.
A total of 33 countries will attend the SDD.
The US, China, Japan, Russia and other participating nations will send their vice defence ministers to the meeting.