S Korean civic group to visit N Korea to discuss exchanges

Amid a thaw in inter-Korean relations, a delegation from a South Korean civic group will visit North Korea this week to discuss exchanges in various sectors.

The unification ministry had endorsed the request from the group devoted to starting the first-ever inter-Korean summit, held on June 15, 2000.

The 15-member delegation on June 20 left for China's Shenyang and will take a flight for Pyongyang. Till Saturday, they are scheduled to stay in Pyongyang, Yonhap reported.

This is the first time that a civic group is visiting the North, since the South Korean President Moon Jae-in assumed office in May 2017.

The two Koreas had pushed to hold joint events to mark the 18th anniversary of the first summit, but decided not to have them this year due to time restraints.

This comes after the two summits held between Kim Jong-un and Moon in April and May.

In 2008, joint events like this were held to mark the anniversary at Mount Kumgang on North Korea's east coast.

On April 27, North and South Korea agreed to sign a peace treaty formally later this year, ending a 65-year-old long war between them.