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SEOUL : North Korean Prime Minister Kim Yong Il is in Seoul for three-day talks with his South Korean counterpart Han Duck-Soo.
It's the first such meeting in 15 years.
Both sides are expected to discuss issues that were brought up between their leaders in last month's inter-Korean summit.
The North Korean prime minister arrived in Seoul on a direct flight from Pyongyang.
He was welcomed at the airport by South Korea's Unification Minister Lee Jae Joung.
Mr Kim will be in Seoul for talks aimed at improving ties between the two Koreas.
He is meeting the South Korean prime minister to iron out the details of a declaration made by their leaders last month, during the second Korean summit.
Their talks got off to a good start.
"With the agreement on October 4 in the North-South summit, these are the first prime ministerial talks being held. After being greeted warmly at the airport and this hotel, I feel like the talks will proceed smoothly," said the North Korean PM.
But outside the hotel where the meeting was taking place, several South Koreans held a protest rally demanding the overthrow of North Korea's leader Kim Jong Il.
They also called on Pyongyang to return South Korean prisoners of war from the 1950 Korean conflict, as well as South Koreans who are still being held in the communist state against their will.
South Korea's Red Cross estimates that there are about 560 missing POWs (prisoners of war) and 480 South Koreans abductees in North Korea.
But these issues are unlikely to be raised at this meeting. Instead the two prime ministers will talk about economic cooperation projects, like setting up a joint fishing area around the disputed western sea border and building joint shipyards in North Korea.
Other topics could include having more reunions of separated families.
"I think the talks are important as we need to seek specific and effective measures on many issues," said South Korean PM Han.
North Korea has recently opened up to the international community, following progress in international efforts to get the country to abandon its nuclear programmes.
It has agreed to disable by the end of the year its nuclear complex in exchange for massive aid.
This is the first prime ministerial meeting between the two Koreas since 1992.
Talks broke down following the first crisis over North Korea's nuclear ambition.
Experts now believe that with the progress in resolving the nuclear issue, this meeting could become the first of many more to come. - CNA /ls
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