South Korea earmarked 3.47 billion won (3.1 million U.S. dollars) to operate the liaison office with the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) slated to open in the DPRK's border town of Kaesong later this month, Yonhap news agency reported Thursday.
The Inter-Korean Exchange and Cooperation Promotion Council held a meeting, approving the plan to finance this year's operation of the inter-Korean liaison office from the Inter-Korean Cooperation Fund.
After their first summit on April 27 at the border village of Panmunjom, South Korean President Moon Jae-in and top DPRK leader Kim Jong Un agreed to launch the inter-Korean liaison office in Kaesong.
Repair works have been underway in Kaesong since July 2, aiming to open the liaison office by the end of August. South Korea began supplying electricity to Kaesong Tuesday for the trial operation.
The liaison office would become a standing dialogue channel between the two Koreas to help facilitate discussions about inter-Korean cooperation and exchange.