Officials from both countries meet for first time since 2008
Officials from North and South Korea are saying they are ready to resume disarmament talks. The news comes after top nuclear envoys from each country met face-to-face on Friday for the first time since 2008, when efforts to halt North Korea’s nuclear program broke down. In recent months, North Korea started indicating its willingness to resume talks. The country is reportedly in desperate need of international aid, and it could expect to receive some if it returns to the negotiation table. Both South Korea and its long-time ally the United States say North Korea must commit to denuclearization before talks can resume. The two Koreas are technically in a state of war since the end of the Korean War in 1953, since the two sides signed a truce rather than a peace treaty.