A/HRC/31/38 Government of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea and the Government of the Republic of Korea reached an agreement in which the former expressed regret over the mine explosion and committed to lifting the state of “semi-war” that it had declared, while the latter agreed to stop broadcasting propaganda over loudspeaker along the demilitarized zone. The two Governments also agreed to hold further talks to improve ties, resume family reunions and encourage exchanges between NGOs in various fields. Family reunions took place from 20 to 26 October 2015 (see para. 38 below). 9. On 30 October 2015, the Korean Central News Agency, the official news outlet of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, announced that the Central Committee of the Korean Workers’ Party had decided to organize the seventh Workers’ Party Congress in May 2016, the first congress of the Party since October 1980. The Congress will help indicate the future direction of public policy, and it may lead to the adoption of new regulations or the appointment of new officials. III. Cooperation of the Government of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea with the United Nations, including international human rights mechanisms, on the promotion and protection of human rights 10. In September 2015, discussions on possible steps towards technical cooperation between the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea and OHCHR resumed. In December 2014, the Government had decided to suspend such talks, following the adoption of General Assembly resolution 69/188 and the Security Council meeting on 22 December on human rights in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea. 11. On 21 September 2015, during the thirtieth session of the Human Rights Council, and as decided by the Council in its resolution 28/22, OHCHR organized a panel discussion on the situation of human rights in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, including the issue of international abductions, enforced disappearances and related matters. Many Member States expressed support for the steps taken by OHCHR to implement the recommendations of the commission of inquiry on human rights in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, including the establishment of OHCHR (Seoul). The Government of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea expressed disagreement with the holding of the panel, stating that it constituted a politically motivated attempt to change the political system of its country. Some Member States expressed opposition to the country-specific nature of the panel, and pointed to the universal periodic review as the suitable forum for country-specific discussions. 12. OHCHR has been seeking to engage with the Government of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea to discuss human rights. In late 2015, the Government gave signs that it was making efforts in that regard. In particular, the High Commissioner welcomes the invitation to visit the country that was extended by the Minister of Foreign Affairs in September 2015. 13. On 10 December 2015, the Security Council held a debate on the situation of human rights in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea. The High Commissioner was invited to brief the Council and recalled the ongoing nature of serious human rights violations in the country. He emphasized that accountability must go hand in hand with an open dialogue to encourage the Government to undertake reforms. The Government of the Democratic 3