The Defense Ministry said Wednesday that North Korea has proposed high-level military talks with South Korea next week to prepare for the agreed test runs of reconnected cross-border railways.

According to the ministry, Pyongyang suggested three days of general-level talks to begin May eighth. It proposed Tongilgak pavilion on the northern side of the truce village of Panmunjeom as the venue.

Pyongyang's proposal is in response to Seoul's earlier call for working-level military talks from this Thursday to discuss test runs for the recently reconnected inter-Korean railways.