Deputy Finance Minister Kim Kwang-rim said the government will begin a survey of the Imjin River, which crosses the demilitarized border between South and North Korea and is prone to heavy flooding.

The survey would be a part of joint efforts to set up disaster-prevention measures.

In a Saturday interview with KBS Radio, Kim said the survey would be in line with an agreement reached at working-level talks between the two Koreas that was concluded this week.

He said South Korean officials will enter the North next month to complete the safety survey prior to start of the rainy season.

On a related note, he said an economic delegation composed of some 20 Southern representatives will be visiting the North in the second half of this year to view North Korea's economic state and seek out possible sectors for investment and support.

Kim said South-North officials will meet again for their ninth session of working-level talks in early June to evaluate progress in an on-going project to re-link major ground transportation routes across the border.