U.S. says inter-Korean talks "welcome"

（单词翻译）

    WASHINGTON, Jan. 20 (Xinhua) -- U.S. State Department（美国国务院） spokesman Mark Toner said on Thursday that the potential inter-Korean military（军事的） talks are a "welcome" and "positive" sign.
    Mark told reporters that the Democratic of People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) is now "cycling away" from "belligerent¹" actions in the past.
    He urged DPRK to continue to take "meaningful steps" to improve inter-Korean relations.
    On the same day, White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs also said the potential talks are an "important" step forward.
    The South Korean government has decided² to accept a proposal Thursday from DPRK to hold high-ranking inter-Korean military talks, Seoul's Yonhap News Agency reported.
    The move came after the DPRK's Armed Forces Minister Kim Yong- chun proposed discussing "pending³ issues" in a message sent to South Korean Defense⁴ Minister Kim Kwan-jin.
    The talks, if held, will mark the first major contact between the two sides for years. Pyongyang has recently repeated call for inter-Korean dialogue.(本文由在线英语听力室整理编辑)