Inter-Korean Military Talks Reach Agreement on Cross-border Passage

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Monday, January 27, 2003

Inter-Korean Military Talks Reach Agreement on Cross-border Passage

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Military authorities of South Korea and Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) on Monday reached a four-point agreement on the personnel transit of the military demarcation line (MDL) which divides the Korean Peninsula.

According to a news release of the South Korean Defense Ministry, the delegates to the inter-Korean military working level meeting held at the truce village in Panmunjoem on Monday agreed on providing military assurances for the passages of the temporary roads in the east and west part of the demilitarized zone (DMZ).

Such an agreement paves the way for the long-awaited linkage of cross-border railways and roads.

Both sides shall open a 10 meter wide area along the MDL respectively for the east and west temporary roads inside the Joint (South-North) Administration Areas (JAA) in the DMZ, said the agreement.

Before passing through the MDL through the temporary roads, each side shall provide a list of the personnel, the number of vehicles, materials equipment as well the passing time to the other side, according to the statement.

Once the transit of the MDL approved, both sides must offer guarantee of safety for the personnel, vehicles, materials and equipment inside each responsible areas.

"With the signing of the agreement, South Korea and the DPRK have laid the groundwork for the smooth linkage of the (inter-Korean) railways and roads, construction of the Kaesong Industrial Complex and launch of the overland Geumgang Mountain tour project," Brigadier General Chang Kwang-il who is in charge of arms reduction at the South Korean Defense Ministry was quoted by national news agency Yonhap News as saying.

The two sides previously agreed to open temporary cross-border roads for the materials transportation for the construction of the complex and for the overland tour to the DPRK's scenic point of Geumgang Mountain from South Korea.

Chang also hoped the accord would serve as the basis for another agreement on security guarantees for passage through the MDL after the completion of the construction of the inter-Korean railways and roads.

The agreement calls for the DPRK and the United Nations Command(UNC) to comply with the Armistice Agreement signed in 1953 and other previous accords on security guarantees in operations on both sides of the DMZ.

The previous working-level military officials' talks held last December ended without agreement due to the DPRK and the UNC's row on the jurisdiction of the cross border corridors.

The latest inter-Korean railway talks in Pyongyang last week agreed to re-link the inter-Korean railways and roads as soon as possible.

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