South Korea has proposed talks next week in order to arrange North Korean athletes' participation in the upcoming Pyeongchang Winter Olympic Games.
The proposal was announced on Tuesday by Cho Myoung-gyon, head of Seoul's Unification Ministry, in response to comments by Kim Jong-un, the North Korean leader, in his New Year's address.
"We sincerely hope that the Winter Games will be a success", Mr Kim said in his televised speech on Monday. "We are willing to take various steps, including the dispatch of the delegation".
Pyongyang had previously ignored all efforts by the South to confirm that it would be sending athletes to the Games, which run for 14 days from February 9.
Moon Jae-in, the South Korean president, has welcomed Mr Kim's comments as a breakthrough in strained North-South ties.
"I view Chairman Kim Jong-un's remarks about sending a North Korean delegation to the Pyeongchang Olympics and holding government-level dialogue as a response to our proposal to turn the Pyeongchang Olympic Games into a groundbreaking chance to improve South-North relations and establish peace", Yonhap news quoted Mr Moon as saying.
Seoul has proposed that the discussions take place on Tuesday at Panmunjom, the truce village that sits on the border in the middle of the Demilitarised Zone.
The meeting will be the first government-level discussions between the two Koreas in more than two years.
Yet the media and political analysts have warned the South Korean government to remain wary of Pyongyang's motivation for agreeing to talks.
A report by the Institute for National State Security has said Seoul's delegation at the talks is likely to be told that North Korea will only consent to taking part in the Games if the South unilaterally lifts sanctions on the North, resumes cross-border economic projects and provides financial assistance.
Pyongyang could also demand that the South halt all military drills with US forces and that Washington withdraws units from the Korean Peninsula.
In an editorial, The Korea Herald described the North's offer as a "double-edged message".
"South Korea needs to make a measured response focused on thawing frozen inter-Korean relations and fostering an atmosphere for dialogue toward the denuclearisation of the North", it said.
"The South also must not ... lower its guard to prevent it from playing into the North's hands.
"It is questionable whether Kim made the overture to send a delegation to the Olympics out of pure intentions".
