An inter-Korean hotline will be established this week to directly connect the leaders of the two Koreas.

South Korean Presidential Chief of Staff Im Jong-seok on Tuesday held a news conference, and briefed on the preparations for the upcoming inter-Korean summit next week. 

Im told reporters that the hotline will be connected by around Friday this week, after which a trial telephone call could follow. However, he added that the two sides have not yet scheduled telephone talks between the leaders. 

He also said that Seoul's National Security Adviser Chung Eui-yong and National Intelligence Service Director Suh Hoon could visit Pyongyang as part of preparations for the cross-border talks set to be held Friday next week.