By Kim Hyelin and Kim Young Shin

South and North Korea agreed to restore military communication lines along the east and west coasts, during the eighth inter-Korean general-grade military talks held at the Thongil House on the North’s part of the Panmunjeom Truce Village on June 14.

The two sides discussed ways to demilitarize the Joint Security Area (JSA) at Panmunjeom on a trial basis.

They also talked about entirely halting hostile acts against each other, turning the Northern Limit Line (NLL) into a de facto maritime zone, establishing security measures for future exchanges between Seoul and Pyeongyang and other issues that are mentioned in the Panmunjeom Declaration related to easing military tensions.

They agreed to thoroughly implement the bilateral agreement made during the June 2004 general-grade talks to prevent clashes in the Yellow Sea.

“We discussed easing military tensions between the South and North, preventing accidental clashes, turning demilitarized areas into peace zones and changing the NLL into a de facto maritime area, all in an amicable atmosphere,” said Major General Kim Do-gyun, head of the South Korean delegation, during a regular briefing.

Regarding joint exhumations in the Demilitarized Zone to find remains of soldiers from the Korean War, he said, “Joint excavations are an item agreed to not only during the Inter-Korean Summit, but also during the Singapore Summit. South and North Korea agree to take action for actual results.”

kimhyelin211@korea.kr