Inter-Korean talks: Is a corner being turned?

HIGH-LEVEL talks between North and South Korea this week offer a potential for diplomacy - not threats of war - to reduce the increasingly tense stand-off between Washington and Pyongyang, amid the latter's impressive success in developing its missiles and nuclear weaponry.

The United States has shown support for the North-South talks, whose immediate aim is to enable North Korea to participate in the Winter Olympic Games to be hosted by South Korea in Pyeongchang next month.

To allow this to happen, the US has agreed to the postponement of scheduled joint military exercises with South Korea until after the Games. North Korea, without saying so, will evidently not be testing any bombs or missiles during this period.