Vice Unification Minister Shin Un-sang says North Korea may use this week's inter-Korean military talks to propose a separate working-level meeting on security guarantees for test runs of cross-border railways.

At the Office of South-North Dialogue, Vice Minister Shin said Tuesday that Koreans wish for an inter-Korean security guarantee for the opening of cross-border roads and railways and the prevention of accidental naval skirmishes.

He added that the North’s delegation to the general-grade military talks that began Tuesday proposed having a luncheon on Thursday, the last day of the talks instead of on Wednesday as proposed by Seoul.

He also voiced optimism about the North’s luncheon proposal, saying it reflected Pyongyang’s desire to notch results at the three-day military talks.