The two Koreas and the U.S.-led U.N Command (UNC) will wrap up the process of disarming the Joint Security Area in the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) on Oct. 25, 2018, officials said.
They will complete the work of withdrawing military posts, troops and firearms from the JSA in the buffer zone separating the two Koreas, in line with last month's inter-Korean agreement aimed at reducing tensions, preventing accidental clashes and building mutual trust.
On Oct. 26 and Oct. 27, the three sides will carry out joint verification work to ensure that the JSA is completely disarmed.
Once the disarmament is complete, Korean people and foreign tourists will be allowed to cross the military demarcation line from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. The South and North will station a patrol of 35 soldiers, including five officers, with no firearms there.
The two Koreas conducted 20 days of demining work for the disarmament that began Oct. 1. They and the UNC have officially verified the land mine clearance work.
The three sides are expected to discuss in detail how to form and operate a joint apparatus to manage the JSA following its disarmament.
The two Koreas agreed to disarm the JSA under the military agreement their countries' defense chiefs signed during the third summit between President Moon Jae-in and the North's leader Kim Jong-un in Pyongyang last month. The UNC oversees activities inside the DMZ. (Yonhap)
