North Korea on Wednesday urged South Korea to take substantial steps to improve inter-Korean relations.

Speaking at their three-day 16th ministerial talks which opened in Pyongyang in the day, Kwon Ho-ung, North Korea's cabinet chief councilor, specifically called on South Korea to suspend "unconditionally" all military drills with US, saying such actions amount to threat of invasion to North Korea.

He cited the most recent set of exercises as a reason for delaying the six-party talks in Beijing earlier this month.

He called for mutual trust and recognition between the two sides despite their different political systems.

For beginning, the two sides should remove trade barriers and promote common interests, he said.

Earlier this year, the two sides sent their delegation to each other's capital to attend celebrations marking the anniversary of historic inter-Korean summit in 2000 that brought reconciliation between the two sides and the 60th anniversary of the Korean Peninsula's liberation from Japanese colonial rule.

South Korea on its part called for an end to hostility in the Korean Peninsular and a lasting peace mechanism with North Korea.

Speaking at the meeting, South Korean Unification Minister Chung Dong-young said the two sides should make concerted efforts to end the de facto cold war on the Peninsula without delay.

The minister urged North Korea to seize the opportunity of the on going six-party talks in Beijing and resolve the nuclear standoff as soon as possible.

The two sides should also get down to resume the postponed general-level military talks and streamline the procedures for the reunion of the separated families, said Chung.

(Xinhua News Agency September 15, 2005)