Leaders of two Koreas have agreed on the need to resume inter-Korean dialogue.

The breakthrough was made when Prime Minister Lee Hae-chan met North Korea's No. 2 leader Kim Yong-nam Saturday on the sidelines of the Asia-Africa summit in Jakarta.

The two officials agreed to resume inter-Korean talks based on the spirit of reconciliation and cooperation jointly upheld at the June 15 inter-Korean summit in 2000.

The two leaders were aware of this year's significance as 2005 marks the 60th year of Korea's liberation from Japan's colonialism and the 5th anniversary of the inter-Korean summit.

Meantime, the North Korean official said Pyongyang will join the six-way nuclear talks when the conditions are fostered, to which Prime Minister Lee said Seoul will cooperate with member states to create an environment favorable to North Korea's return to the talks.

Lee told reporters after the meeting that they candidly discussed major concerns and the meeting served to improve bilateral understanding.

The closed-door meeting lasted for 40 minutes, twice longer than planned.

It was the highest-level contact between the two Koreas since the historic inter-Korean summit in Pyongyang in June 2000.