Government officials from North and South Korea held their first talks in over two years on Sunday to prepare for a higher-level meeting scheduled for Wednesday over reopening joint projects, including a landmark industrial park shuttered earlier this year.

朝鲜和韩国的政府官员周日举行了两年多以来的首次会谈，为计划于本周三举行的更高级别会议做准备。周三的会议将讨论重启韩朝合作项目，包括今年早些时候关闭的一个标志性的工业园区。

The preparatory talks, held at the border village of Panmunjom, where the truce ending the 1950-53 Korean War was signed, mark the first government-level meeting since February 2011 and a positive development in thawing bilateral relations.

筹备会议在朝韩边境的村庄板门店(Panmunjom)举行，这里是1950年到1953年朝鲜战争停战协议的签署地。筹备会议是2011年2月以来朝韩间的首次政府级别会议，也是双边关系融冰过程中的一个积极进展。

Such relations have been frozen since the North cut communications channels with Seoul and ratcheted up its war rhetoric against South Korea-U.S. joint military drills early this year.

自从朝鲜今年年初切断了与韩国的沟通渠道、并针对韩美联合军事演习提高了战争言论调门以来，朝韩关系一直处于冰冻状态。

Kim Hyung-suk, a spokesman for Seoul's Unification Ministry, which is in charge of North Korea issues, said the two Koreas shared the view that ministers should meet.

负责朝鲜问题的韩国统一部(Unification Ministry)的发言人金炯锡(Kim Hyung-suk)说，韩国和朝鲜都认为，两国部长应该举行会晤。

After rejecting calls from the South for official talks for several weeks, Pyongyang unexpectedly proposed dialogue over resuming operations at the jointly run Kaesong Industrial Complex and other inter-Korean issues last week. In a further reconciliatory gesture, North Korea on Friday restored a Red Cross hotline with the South, which it had severed in March.

在连续几周拒绝了韩国提出的正式会谈的呼吁之后，朝鲜上周出人意料地提出，愿意就恢复联合运营的开城工业园区以及其他问题举行对话。朝鲜还进一步做出和解姿态，于上周五恢复了今年3月份被其切断的与韩国的红十字热线，

South Korea responded by proposing ministerial-level talks in Seoul on June 12, to which the North later agreed. Both Koreas haven't met at the ministerial level since 2007.

作为回应，韩国提出于6月12日在首尔举行部长级会议，朝鲜对此表示同意。朝韩两国自2007年以来从未召开过部长级会议。

A successful meeting would represent a victory for South Korean President Park Geun-hye, who took office in February and has maintained her policy of 'trustpolitik' that combines vows of strong counteraction to any provocations by the North with efforts to build trust and improve relations.

如果会议能够取得成功，这将是韩国总统朴槿惠(Park Geun-hye)的一次胜利。今年2月就职的朴槿惠一直实施“信赖外交”(Trustpolitik)的政策，该政策一方面承诺对朝鲜的任何挑衅行为予以强有力的反击，另一方面努力建立互信和改善关系。

'Today's working-level talks will lay the groundwork for improving inter-Korean relations,' said Chun Hae-sung, head of the southern delegation, before leaving for Panmunjom earlier Sunday. 'The development of South and North Korean relations starts from little things and gradual trust-building.'

韩国代表团团长千海成(Chun Hae-sung)周日早些时候在前往板门店之前说，今天的工作级会谈将为改善韩朝关系打下基础。韩朝关系的发展将从小事和逐渐建立信任开始。

During the preparatory talks, the delegates discussed administrative and technical issues such as the agenda for the ministerial meeting and the size of the delegations, said Mr. Kim.

金炯锡说，在筹备会议期间，代表们讨论了行政和技术上的事宜，比如部长级会议的日程和代表团规模。

In addition to the Kaesong complex, which the North closed in April, the two Koreas Wednesday will discuss ways of reopening the Mount Kumgang resort, which was developed and operated by a South Korean company inside the North but closed in 2008 after a North Korean soldier shot and killed a South Korean tourist.

除开城工业园区（今年4月被朝方关闭）问题外，朝韩两国周三还将讨论重新开放金刚山旅游度假区的办法。位于朝鲜境内的金刚山旅游度假区由一家韩国公司开发运营，2008年在一名朝鲜士兵开枪射杀了一名韩国游客之后关闭。

Talks between the two sides could also cover humanitarian issues, including resuming meetings between families separated by the Korean War, the North said last week.

朝鲜方面上周说，双方的会谈可能还包括人道主义问题，如恢复因朝鲜战争而失散的亲人会面。

North Korea's nuclear program isn't likely to be part of the talks as neither side has mentioned it.

由于双方都没有提及，朝鲜核计划不太可能成为谈判议题。

Analysts express wariness about North Korea's intentions, with some viewing its interest in dialogue as part of a pattern where Pyongyang follows aggressive rhetoric and provocations with diplomatic efforts to trade an easing of tension for outside concessions.

分析人士表达了对朝鲜意图的警惕，一些人认为，朝鲜政府愿意对话已经成为一种模式的一部分，这种模式就是，在发表强硬言论和挑衅之后，通过外交途径，用缓解紧张局势的行动换取外部的妥协。

Over the weekend, North Korean state media reiterated its combative rhetoric, calling a recent joint military drill by the U.S. and South Korea a war rehearsal.

上周末，朝鲜国有媒体重申了好战论调，称美国和韩国最近的联合军演是战争预演。

'This can never be overlooked as it is a dangerous attempt to ignite a new war on the Korean peninsula at any cost,' said Rodong Shinmun, the North's main newspaper, according to the Korean Central News Agency.

据朝中社(Korean Central News Agency)报道，朝鲜主要报纸《劳动新闻》(Rodong Shinmun)说，这种情况永远都不能被忽视，因为这是不惜一切代价在朝鲜半岛上重燃战火的危险尝试。

South Korea's Yonhap News on Saturday reported, citing an unnamed military source, that North Korea has set up a no-sail zone in the sea off its west coast for an artillery exercise this week.

韩国联合通讯社(Yonhap News Agency)上周六援引未具名的军方消息人士的话报道说，朝鲜已在西海岸附近设立禁航区，目的是为本周的火炮演习做准备。

An official at Seoul's Defense Ministry on Sunday declined to confirm the report.

韩国国防部的一名官员周日拒绝证实报道的真实性。