Summary of inter-Korean news this week

SEOUL, July 1 (Yonhap) -- The following is a summary of inter-Korean news this week.

------------
(LEAD) N. Korea appears to have discharged water from dam near inter-Korean border: gov't official

SEOUL -- North Korea appears to have released water from a dam near the inter-Korean border, while remaining unresponsive to Seoul's request for prior notice, a South Korean government official Thursday.

"It is presumed that North Korea has recently opened the floodgates of Hwanggang Dam," the unification ministry official told reporters amid reports that the impoverished North is suffering torrential rains in many parts of the country.

------------
(LEAD) Koreas hold daily hotline contact; N. Korea mum on S. Korea's call for prior notice on dam water discharge: ministry

SEOUL -- North Korea has remained unresponsive for the second day to South Korea's attempt to deliver a formal request asking the North to give notification before releasing water from dams near their border during the summer rainy season, according to Seoul's unification ministry Wednesday.

"At around 9 a.m. today, the regular phone call via the inter-Korean joint liaison office was held as usual," the ministry announced.

------------
(LEAD) S. Korea asks N. Korea to give prior notice on dam discharge; ministry says request to be delivered via hotline

SEOUL -- The South Korean government publicly asked North Korea on Tuesday to give notification before releasing water from dams near their border during the summer rainy season, as their daily hotline communication was disrupted presumably due to a technical reason.

The Ministry of Unification made the request in a statement, describing it as a "basic measure" to protect the lives and property of the South's residents just south of the border.

------------
(LEAD) N. Korea all set for nuke test, timing to come as 'no surprise,' S. Korean minister says

SEOUL -- Unification Minister Kwon Young-se said Monday it would be "no surprise" to see North Korea carry out a nuclear test anytime soon.

His remarks came amid reports the secretive nation has completed related preparations and is waiting for leader Kim Jong-un's call.
(END)