South and North Korea will hold high-level talks this week, an official said Tuesday, a sign of thawing ties amid Pyongyang's conciliatory overture toward Seoul.

The two Koreas will meet at the border village of Panmunjom at 10 a.m. on Wednesday, said an official of the unification ministry, which handles inter-Korean affairs.

The talks came three days after North Korea made the proposal to discuss overall inter-Korean affairs, the official said.

He said the two sides are expected to discuss ways to ensure that the reunions of families separated by the 1950-53 Korean War can place without a hitch. They will also discuss ways to hold reunions on a regular basis, though no agenda is set for the talks, he added.

The talks come as the Koreas prepare to hold the reunions at Mount Geumgang, a North Korean scenic resort on the east coast.

South and North Korea agreed last week to stage the reunions at the resort from Feb. 20-25, a move Seoul indicates could help improve cross-border relations after months of tensions. (Yonhap News)