North and South Korea set date for leaders' summit

South Korean Unification Minister Cho Myoung-gyon (R) shakes hands with North Korea"s Committee for Peaceful Reunification chairman Ri Son-gwon (2-L) at the Tongilgak building on the northern side of the border of the truce village of Panmunjom, North Korea on 29 March 2018. Image copyright EPA
Image caption Officials agreed on Wednesday that talks would be held between North and South Korea

The leaders of North and South Korea will hold their first summit in more than a decade on 27 April.

Talks between the North's Kim Jong-un and South Korean President Moon-Jae-in would be held in the border village of Panmunjom, a joint statement said.

The date was announced after officials from the two sides met to prepare for the summit.

The announcement comes a day after news emerged of discussions between Mr Kim and Chinese President Xi Jinping.

At the meeting in Beijing, the North Korean leader repeated his offer to denuclearise the Korean Peninsula.

The North Korean leader said recently that he wants to meet US President Donald Trump. Mr Trump accepted the offer and they could meet as soon as May.

On Wednesday, Mr Trump welcomed news of progress following the talks between the Chinese and North Korean leaders in Beijing.

He said however that sanctions on North Korea would continue.

The announcement of a date for talks between North and South Korea is the latest move in a flurry of diplomatic activity since the start of the year, which saw the North attend the Winter Olympics in South Korea.