South and North Korea have agreed to launch a pilot project before the end of this year to exchange information on contagious diseases. 

They reached the agreement during talks on health issues held at the joint liaison office in the North Korean border city of Gaeseong on Wednesday. 

The two sides also agreed to cooperate on the diagnosis and preventive treatment of infectious diseases, such as tuberculosis and malaria, and push for longer-term joint projects regarding the prevention of diseases and healthcare. 

It was the first time the two Koreas held discussions on health-related issues since December 2007.