Two Koreas, UNC complete JSA disarmament inspection

South Korean soldiers stand guard at the truce village of Panmunjom. Photo: AFP/TTXVN

The official stressed that this inspection did not reveal any specific issues that needed to be addressed.

South Korea and North Korea proposed disarming the JSA under a military agreement signed by the two countries' defense chiefs at the third summit between South Korean President Moon Jae-in and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un in Pyongyang on September 19. At the summit, Kim Jong-un and South Korean President Moon Jae-in pledged to work for a peaceful, nuclear-free Korean Peninsula. The United Nations Command has also been working in the demilitarized zone.

The Joint Security Area Agreement is partly aimed at reducing tensions between the two Koreas and preventing possible conflicts.

Also in the agreement, North Korea pledged to withdraw five military bases in the Joint Security Area, while four South Korean military bases were also removed. During the process of removing bombs and mines, North Korea claimed to have completely removed five bomb-laden areas, while South Korea confirmed that no bombs were found in the area.

During the joint inspection, the two Koreas and the United Nations Command conducted legal procedures to open a new military base to manage the disarmament at the JSA and install additional monitoring equipment.

Once the disarmament and related legal procedures are completed this year, South Korean and North Korean citizens, as well as foreign tourists, will be allowed to enter the JSA from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Both South and North Korea will maintain a 35-member unarmed patrol force at the JSA.