A South Korean government official communicates with the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) side via the communication channel in Panmunjom, South Korea, on Jan. 3, 2018. South Korea's unification ministry in charge of inter-Korean affairs said Wednesday that it reopened a communication channel with the DPRK in the truce village of Panmunjom amid rising expectations for the DPRK's participation in South Korea-hosted winter sports event. (Xinhua/Ministry of Unification of the Republic of Korea)