North and South Korea Discuss Changes in the DMZ

[soryang]

Today South Korea's JTBC News reported that Tuesday at Panmunjeom there will be talks between military representatives of North and South Korea, concerning initial trial moves to withdraw heavier firearms from the demilitarized zone. The initial proposal was to withdraw troops and guard posts to a distance of two kilometers from either side of the demarcation line between the two states. Agreement was not reached in an earlier negotiation. In tomorrow's meeting of the South will attempt to reach an agreement to simultaneously remove heavier firearms on both sides of the military demarcation line associated with guard posts in a limited area.

This is intended as a small demonstration of how the two sides can proceed to remove machine guns from guard posts to lower the possibility of gunfights across the demarcation lines triggered by incidents of a non-combat nature. It is expected that the deescalation process could take place in a trial area near the Joint Security Area.

[Iliyah]

1. South Korea should be very careful.

[soryang]

2. Arirang reports on the talks

[soryang]

3. Xinhua reports no agreement reached

http://www.xinhuanet.com/english/2018-07/31/c_137359793.htm

SEOUL, July 31 (Xinhua) -- South Korea and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DRPK) shared understanding on the trial withdrawal of guard posts from areas near the inter-Korean border, according to the South Korean joint media pool reports.

The result came after military delegations from the two sides held general-grade talks on Tuesday at the Peace House, a South Korean building in the border village of Panmunjom.

The five-member delegations from South Korea and the DPRK shared views over the pullout of guard posts inside the demilitarized zone (DMZ), a buffer zone separating the two Koreas, on a trial basis.

The two Koreas also understood the need to disarm the Joint Security Area (JSA), a jointly controlled area in Panmunjom, and to jointly excavate the remains inside the DMZ of soldiers killed during the 1950-53 Korean War.

The military delegations, however, failed to reach any agreement on the issues and to announce any joint statement.