In what is seen as another peace overture toward North Korea, South Korea formally asked North Korea on Thursday to join an upcoming international conference on biological diversity to be held on its soil.

The South sent an invitation letter for the North to participate in the 12th meeting of the signatories to the Convention on Biological Diversity and related events, according to an official of the Unification Ministry.

The letter was signed by Environment Minister Yoon Seong-kyu for his North Korean counterpart, the official told reporters on background.

The meeting is scheduled to open in Pyeongchang, some 180 kilometers southeast of Seoul, on Sept. 29, and it will last through Oct. 17.

“We hope North Korea’s delegation will take part in the meeting and join discussions on biological diversity for sustainable development so that South and North Korea can pool their ideas on ways to protect the environment and the ecosystem and also lay the groundwork for expanding inter-Korean environmental cooperation,” the official said.

The move is a follow-up to President Park Geun-hye’s Liberation Day proposal.In her Aug. 15 speech, she expressed hope that Pyongyang will send a delegation to the international meeting.

Despite unrelenting military tensions on the peninsula, the two Koreas have continued exchanges in the non-political field.

The first group of North Korean athletes arrived in Incheon, a city just west of Seoul, Thursday to participate in the Asian Games to open next Friday.

Many expect Pyongyang‘s participation to help warm inter-Korean ties. (Yonhap)