North, South Korea Hold Negotiations

North and South Korea held their first direct government talks in almost four years in Beijing, with both sides saying they hoped to end the stalemate that has trapped their countries in Cold War antagonism. After two hours of talks that South Korean officials described as “very sincere and friendly,” the two sides agreed to resume meeting this morning. South Korea’s top negotiator, Jeong Se Hyun, gave an upbeat assessment, saying North Korea appeared willing to work on thorny issues such as reuniting families divided by the governments’ animosity.