The U.S.-led United Nations Command and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) are set to hold colonel-level talks on Thursday, the UNC said Wednesday.

The two sides are scheduled to meet in the truce village of Panmunjum for the fifth time for the latest round of talks aimed at preparing for a general-level meeting on the fatal sinking of a South Korean warship in March blamed on the DPRK. Pyongyang denies its role in the sinking, which killed 46 South Korean sailors.

As part of a trust-building measure, the command and the DPRK have held 16 general-level talks since 1998, and the latest round was held in March 2009.