A major general will represent the government next week in inter-Korean military talks instead of the original brigadier general.

The Defense Ministry on Friday told North Korea that it will send policy planning director Han Min-gu to head Seoul's delegation in the wake of Pyongyang's decision to dispatch Lieutenant General Kim Yong-chol as its top negotiator.

The two sides will hold two days of talks from Thursday at the border truce village of Panmunjom.

The rank of lieutenant general in the North is equivalent to that of major general in the South.

Pyongyang said it upgraded the rank of its chief representative given the significance of the talks.

Kim is a former chief of security for North Korean leader Kim Jong-il.