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North Korea has proposed holding working-level military talks with South Korea, Seoul’s military officials reported Thursday.
North Korea’s proposal was made on Wednesday via a faxed message using a military communications line over the tense Yellow Sea border, the officials said.
In the message, North Korea’s military proposed talks “to discuss pending issues in the wake of implementing military agreements between both sides in the southern side of the truce village at Panmunjom on Sept. 24.”
North Korea hopes to discuss the Northern Limit Line (NLL), the de facto inter-Korean sea border on the west coast, and Seoul’s plan to fly anti-Pyongyang leaflets into the North, which it has insisted on, according to the official.　　
South Korean officials said they were reviewing North Korea’s proposal, but some officials reacted skeptically. Although North Korea’s proposal could be another gesture to relax cross-border tensions, the proposed agenda does not look productive for South Korea.



Chief auditor designated as new prime minister
The Board of Audit and Inspection Chairman Kim Hwang-sik has been designated as the new prime minister, a presidential source said Thursday. “The Cheong Wa Dae will soon announce the nomination.”
Kim, 62, was born in Jangseong, South Jeolla Province, which makes him the first Prime Minister-designate from South Jeolla. The main opposition Democratic Party, including the party floor leader Park Jie-won, has shown positive signs for his confirmation.
　　
Revival of the National Security Law
The suspects of breaking the National Security Law have increased rapidly under the Lee Myung-bak administration. The number of suspects had previously shown a continuous decrease since late President Kim Dae-jung took office in 1998.
In particular, as of the end of August, the police booked 106 people for violating the National Security Law, a 51 percent increase from last year‘s total
　　 　
Schwarzenegger in S.Korea　　
California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger was given a VIP welcome in South Korea on Wednesday, meeting President Lee Myung-bak, two government ministers and two top CEOs.
President Lee asked him to support Korean companies seeking to take part in the state’s project to build a high-speed railway.
Earlier in the day, Schwarzenegger discussed the rail project with Chung Mong-koo, chairman of Hyundai Kia Automotive Group. He took a ride on the KTX II, a high-speed train built by the Hyundai affiliate, accompanied by Chung.
　　
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