朝鲜拟派团出席亚运会

North Korea has proposed talks on its plan to send a delegation to the Asian Games being held later this year in South Korea. The North\'s Olympic Committee said the working-level talks could be held next Tuesday in the border village of Panmunjom.

South Korea\'s Unification Ministry, which handles relations with the North, says it is considering the offer and will respond later Thursday.

It is not clear what exactly would be discussed in the proposed talks, though logistical issues for the northern delegation could be one topic.

Pyongyang plans to send 150 athletes and a squad of cheerleaders to the games, which are being held in Incheon in late September and early October.

It would be the first time in nine years that North Korea has sent a cheerleading squad to a South Korean athletic event. North Korea says the delegation is meant to improve bilateral relations that have suffered amid a series of recent missile tests by the North.

负责处理对朝鲜事务的韩国统一部官员说，韩国正在考虑朝鲜的建议，并将在星期四晚些时候作出答复。

目前尚不清楚双方的会谈将触及哪些议题。不过，双方可能会讨论朝鲜代表团的后勤安排。

平壤计划派出一个由150名运动员组成的代表团和一个拉拉队出席亚运会。本届亚运会将于今年9月底至10月初在韩国仁川举行。

这将是过去9年来朝鲜首次派遣拉拉队赴韩国参加体育活动。朝鲜官员说，朝鲜派遣代表团将有助于改善双边关系。朝鲜最近的一系列导弹试射使朝韩关系受到负面影响。