(LEAD) Two Koreas, UNC wrap up JSA disarmament
(ATTN: RECASTS headline, lead; UPDAETS throughout)
SEOUL, Oct. 25 (Yonhap) -- The two Koreas and the U.S.-led U.N Command (UNC) on Thursday wrapped up the process of disarming the Joint Security Area in the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ), Seoul's defense ministry said.
As of 1 p.m., they completed the work of withdrawing military posts, armed 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 Friday and Saturday, the three sides will carry out joint verification work to ensure that the JSA is completely disarmed.
"The military authorities of the two Koreas and the UNC will make joint efforts to ensure that the JSA disarmament, stated in the Sept. 19 military agreement, will be implemented normally," the ministry said in a statement.
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 each station a patrol of 35 unarmed soldiers, including five officers, 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 landmine 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.
sshluck@yna.co.kr
(END)
-
1 BTS most tweeted about musician in U.S. in 2020
-
2 BTS performs 'BE,' surprise Coldplay cover on 'MTV Unplugged'
-
3 Harvard professor Ramseyer to revise paper on 1923 massacre of Koreans in Japan: Cambridge handbook editor
-
4 Controversial photographer Robert Mapplethorpe's works tell viewers to embrace 'more life' in pandemic
-
5 BTS earns 2nd 'million point' song on Oricon chart with 'Dynamite'
-
1 200 old Japanese maps define Dokdo as Korean territory
-
2 Controversial photographer Robert Mapplethorpe's works tell viewers to embrace 'more life' in pandemic
-
3 BTS most tweeted about musician in U.S. in 2020
-
4 (News Focus) K-pop agencies scale up to build bigger IP, platform empires
-
5 SHINee says vigor, passion drove new album following military enlistment hiatus
-
1 (News Focus) Past school bullying claims spread like wildfire to S. Korean entertainment scene
-
2 (LEAD) S. Korea prepares for vaccine shots as 1st batch of 1.5 mln doses begins to ship
-
3 (LEAD) New virus cases still rising 1 day before mass vaccine rollout
-
4 Agency refuses to confirm report Jennie, G-Dragon are dating
-
5 (3rd LD) New virus cases still rising 1 day before mass vaccine rollout