The unification ministry has begun internal deliberations to release records related to inter-Korean negotiations dating back to the 1970s and early ‘80s.

According to a government source on Wednesday, the discussion is in line with a regulation established earlier this year on sequentially disclosing documents to the public that were produced or received during South-North negotiations.

Under this regulation, such records that are over 30 years old can be opened to the public after a preliminary review, discussions by a council of government officials and external experts followed by consultations with related government agencies.

The unification ministry is said to have completed a preliminary review and is preparing to hold a deliberation council. 

The council is set to go over ten-years’ worth of documents, starting from the first cross-border talks in August 1971 involving a Red Cross meeting for a family reunion through 1981.

Though documents from 1971 through 1991 are eligible for review in line with the regulation, the council decided to consider just the first ten-years’ worth of eligible records this year.