The three sides are seeing through implementation of a September inter-Korean military agreement.
On Tuesday, military officials from South Korea, North Korea, and United Nations Command (UNC) met at the Joint Security Area along the Korean Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) to discuss the implementation of a recent inter-Korean agreement on military tension reduction. According to a statement released by the UNC, the sides met to “discuss implementation of technical level issues associated with the two Koreas’ recent Comprehensive Military Agreement (CMA).”
The CMA between the two Koreas was concluded at the September 19 inter-Korean summit in Pyongyang following months of military-to-military talks between officers of the Korean People’s Army and the Republic of Korea Army. The tension reduction measures included in the CMA cover measures on the land, at sea, and in the air.
Part of the CMA, related to tension reduction at the JSA, incorporates the UNC. These measures are outlined in the Annex 2 of the CMA and include the ongoing effort by both Koreas to remove landmines from the JSA. Per Annex 2, the two Koreas are expected to complete de-mining the JSA by October 20, following which they, along with UNC, will begin a five day process of desecuritizing the JSA.
