SEOUL, May 16 (Xinhua) -- South Korea and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) launched a general-level talks on Tuesday to seek measures that would ease the military tense between the two sides.

    The three-day talks started in Panmunjom, a truce village on the border, between South Korean Maj. Gen. Han Min-koo and DPRK's Army Lt. Gen. Kim Yong-chol Tuesday morning.

    Before the talks started, a South Korean military official said that the focus of the general-level talks will be working out joint measures to prevent accidental clashes along the disputed western sea border ahead of the blue crab season.

    "During the meeting, the two Koreas will try to find ways to prevent naval clashes along the western sea border and establish a joint fishing area there," the Defense Ministry official told reporters on condition of anonymity.

    The security measures on the cross-border railways, which will have test runs on May 25, are also expected to be discussed during the talks as former South Korean President Kim Dae-jung has expressed his wish to visit the DPRK by train in mid-June.

    The South Korea's Yonhap News said the two sides ended their first day negotiation in the afternoon without major breakthrough due to disputes over the maritime border in the western coast areas.

    It was the fourth general-level military talks between the two Koreas since the 1950-53 Korean War. In the previous rounds of general-level talks, the two sides agreed on a series of tension-reducing measures including dismantlement of propaganda facilities along the land border. Enditem