South Korea has sent North Korea a proposal for inter-Korean working-level military talks on February 23rd.

Defense Ministry spokesman Won Tae-je told a regular news briefing Friday that the ministry sent a message to the North earlier in the day proposing that the two sides hold military talks at the truce village of Panmunjeom.

The message was sent in the name of South Korea's chief delegate to inter-Korean military talks via military communication lines on the west coast border.

The spokesman added that Seoul expects Pyongyang to accept the proposal as the North was the first to ask that a round of military talks be held.

Pyongyang proposed on January 26th the military talks to discuss cross-border passage, communications, and customs clearance for the inter-Korean Gaeseong business park in the North.