Talks On Disarming The DMZ Between North And South Korea Have Begun

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and South Korean President Moon Jae-in talk while taking a walk at Samjiyon Guesthouse in Ryanggang province, North Korea, September 20, 2018. Pyeongyang Press Corps/Pool via REUTERS

Reuters: Two Koreas, U.N. Command hold first talks on disarming border

SEOUL (Reuters) - North Korea, South Korea and the United Nations Command (UNC) held their first three-way talks on Tuesday to discuss demilitarizing the border as the two Koreas push for peace, Seoul’s defense ministry said.

The two Koreas agreed during last month’s summit in Pyongyang to form a tripartite consultation with the UNC, which overlaps with U.S. forces in the South and oversees affairs in the Demilitarised Zone (DMZ), to facilitate their plan to disarm one of the world’s most heavily fortified frontiers.

The accord includes halting military exercises, a no-fly zone near their border and the gradual removal of landmines and guard posts within the DMZ.

The closed-door meeting took place at the border village of Panmunjom and was led by colonel-level military officials from each side, the ministry said in a statement.

As an initial step, the two Koreas are seeking to pull out 11 guard posts within a 1 km radius of the Military Demarcation Line by the end of this year.

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WNU Editor: Small baby steps.