The Unification Ministry wants to hold working level talks with North Korea on containing bird flu.

The ministry sent a telephone request to the North's emergency quarantine committee Thursday for a meeting next Thursday in the North's border city of Gaesong.

The North had earlier asked for the South's help in fighting bird flu.

The ministry also notified the committee that urgent supplies of medicine and equipment will be shipped from the port of Nampo, with delivery slated for late next week.