SEOUL, June 1 (Xinhua) -- High-level officials of South Korea and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) started talks at the border village of Panmunjom on Friday, Seoul's unification ministry said.

The senior-level dialogue kicked off at about 10 a.m. local time (0100 GMT) at the Peace House, a South Korean building at Panmunjom.

Unification Minister Cho Myoung-gyon headed the five-member South Korean delegation, comprised of officials in charge of railway, sports and inter-Korean cooperation.

The DPRK delegation was led by Ri Son Gwon, a chairman of the Committee for the Peaceful Reunification of the Fatherland.