South and North Korea have opened working-level economic talks in the North's border city of Gaesong.

During the three-day meeting, officials from the two Koreas will discuss the relinking of cross border railways and roads. The talks will focus on the schedule of train operations and the South's provision of materials to the North for the construction of the overland transportation links.

North and South Korea earlier agreed to hold a test run on a cross-border railway some time this year.

The two sides will also meet in a separate session to work out measures aimed at preventing flooding along the Imjin river, which flows southward across the inter-Korean border. Officials will discuss the scope, methods and procedures of proposed surveys the two sides may conduct separately along the river as a preliminary step for flood prevention.

North Korea is also expected to ask Seoul for logistics support needed to carry out its own inspections.

The talks, originally scheduled for late March, were cancelled following a North Korean boycott of the meeting, which Pyongyang ascribed to South Korea-U.S. joint military exercises and alleged security concerns following the parliamentary impeachment of President Roh Moo-hyun.