Koreas clash over talks venue

South Korea has rejected a proposal from North Korea to hold ministerial talks at Mount Kumgang resort.

The South Korean Unification Minister, Hong Soon-young, urged the North to host the meeting in Pyongyang next weekend as originally scheduled.

He also said it was regretful that the North had cancelled family reunions and tourism talks, which had been scheduled for last week.

The two Koreas have been at loggerheads over the venues for talks, with the North boycotting planned discussions in the South, because it says its delegations cannot travel safely there.

The government in Seoul has put its military on alert following the September attacks on the US.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service