South Korea has announced it will send a special envoy to North Korea next week in a bid to restart the stalled inter-Korean dialogue. 

President Kim Dae-jung's spokeswoman, Park Sun-sook says the presidential adviser on security and foreign affairs, Lim Dong-won, will travel to Pyongyang to discuss family reunions and ways of easing tensions. 

North Korea's state-run news agency said the two sides would consult on what it called "the grave situation" facing North Korea, as well as issues of mutual concern. 

News of the renewed inter-Korean dialogue was welcomed by both Japan and the United States. 

Relations between North and South Korea warmed after their historic summit two years ago, but the reconciliation process stalled after the Bush administration took office in Washington. 

President Bush recently denounced North Korea as part of what he called an "axis of evil," accusing it of trying to develop weapons of mass destruction. But Mr. Bush has said he will not close the door to better ties with the North. 

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