SEOUL, Jan. 9 (Xinhua) -- The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) reopened a military hotline with South Korea across the western border Tuesday during the inter-Korean high-level talks under way in the truce village of Panmunjom.

A South Korean government official who declined to be identified told reporters that the DPRK informed the South Korean side during the morning session of the talks of the restoration of the cross-border military hotline, allowing for direct dialogue between the two Koreas.

South Korea's military checked the communications channel in the western region, confirming the restored hotline at about 2 p.m. local time (0500 GMT).