WASHINGTON, Jan. 20 (Xinhua) -- U.S. State Department spokesman Mark Toner said on Thursday that the potential inter-Korean military talks are a "welcome" and "positive" sign.

Mark told reporters that the Democratic of People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) is now "cycling away" from "belligerent" actions in the past.

He urged DPRK to continue to take "meaningful steps" to improve inter-Korean relations.

On the same day, White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs also said the potential talks are an "important" step forward.

The South Korean government has decided to accept a proposal Thursday from DPRK to hold high-ranking inter-Korean military talks, Seoul's Yonhap News Agency reported.

The move came after the DPRK's Armed Forces Minister Kim Yong- chun proposed discussing "pending issues" in a message sent to South Korean Defense Minister Kim Kwan-jin.

The talks, if held, will mark the first major contact between the two sides for years. Pyongyang has recently repeated call for inter-Korean dialogue.