South Korea lifts alert

South remains technically at war with the North

South Korea has lifted a military security alert imposed after the 11 September attacks - a move expected to help revive stalled talks with North Korea.

The North had objected to the heightened state of alert, calling off planned reunions of separated families and other exchanges.

I hope the North will come to the dialogue table as soon as possible

Unification Minister Hong Soon-young

A military spokesman, quoted by the Yonhap news agency, said: "All watch conditions and alert statuses are normal."

Earlier this week, there were calls by both sides for dialogue to re-open.

Unification Minister Hong Soon-young on Friday emphasised his hopes that the North would resume talks as soon as possible.

He said the South would donate 100,000 tonnes of corn to North Korea through the United Nations World Food Programme.

Warplanes

The disclosure of the lifting of the alert also coincides with the announcement of the imminent departure of a squadron of American F-15 fighter aircraft deployed in South Korea in the wake of 11 September.

Hopes were high after last year's North-South summit

The war planes were sent to the South to cover the absence of the 7th Fleet, including the aircraft carrier Kitty Hawk, sent to help in the war against Afghanistan.

The Kitty Hawk is due to return its base in Japan before Christmas.

Correspondents say the deployment of the 24 US warplanes particularly annoyed the North.

North and South Korea have remained technically at war since a ceasefire agreement ended fighting in 1953.

Their border is the most heavily militarised zone in the world and the US keeps about 37,000 troops stationed in the South as a deterrent to the North.