SEOUL, March 12 (Xinhua) -- Top diplomats of?Republic of?Korea (ROK)?and the United States are likely to hold their first talks in the near future as tensions persist on the Korean Peninsula, an official said here Tuesday.

The two countries are discussing a possible meeting between?ROK's Foreign Minister Yun Byung-se and US Secretary of State John Kerry, but no date has been set, according to Foreign Ministry Spokesman Cho Tae-youn.

Local media said the meeting is likely to take place later this month or in early April before summit talks between President Park Geun-hye and her American counterpart Barack Obama in May.

Park's planned trip to Washington was announced earlier in the day by her spokesman Yoon Chang-joong, who cited recent cross- border tensions as one of the reasons for her first overseas trip since taking office last month.