South Korea’s Unification Minister Ryoo Kihl-jae offers to resume high-level talks with North Korea

South Korea’s Unification Minister Ryoo Kihl-jae has offered to resume high-level talks  with North Korea in January 2015.

The talks are meant to focus on a range of issues, to prepare for a “peaceful unification”.

Ryoo Kihl-jae said he especially hoped to discuss the reunion of families separated by the Korean War more than 60 years ago.

There has been no response yet from Pyongyang.

North Korea has previously seen South Korea’s unification plans as an attempt to take it over.

“North and South Korea should meet face to face to draw up a plan for a peaceful unification,” Ryoo Kihl-jae told a news conference.

“For this purpose, we make an official proposal for the North Korean government to have a conversation about mutual concerns between North and South in January next year.”

Ryoo Kihl-jae said he hoped North Korea “responds positively” to the suggestion.

He offered to meet in Seoul, Pyongyang or any other South or North Korean city agreed with North Korean officials.

The last formal high-level talks were in February, leading to rare reunions for Korean families.

More talks planned in October were dropped after North Korea accused South Korea of not doing enough to stop activists sending anti-Northern leaflets across the border on balloons.

North Korea and South Korea have technically been at war since the 1950-1953 Korean conflict ended in an armistice rather than a peace treaty.