Seeking "complete denuclearization"

read also : http://www.asahi.com/ajw/articles/AJ201804270056.html

April 27, 2018

Two Koreas agree to seek complete denuclearization

https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20180427_50/

The leaders of North and South Korea have agreed at their historic summit to work for the shared objective of "complete denuclearization" of the Korean Peninsula.

South Korean President Moon Jae-in and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un signed a joint declaration following talks in the truce village of Panmunjom on Friday.

The summit was the 3rd of its kind and the first in 10-and-a-half years. Moon and Kim held talks at South Korea's Peace House in the morning. After a lunch break, they chatted by themselves during a stroll, followed by another meeting.

The "Panmunjom declaration" signed by the leaders notes that recent steps taken by the North have been "very meaningful" for the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula.
The steps apparently refer to Kim's announcement that the North will halt all nuclear tests and test-launches of inter-continental ballistic missiles, and shut down its nuclear test site.

The declaration says the 2 Koreas have affirmed their shared objective of achieving a nuclear-free Korean Peninsula through complete denuclearization, and that they will make active efforts to win international support and cooperation to achieve the goal.

However, the declaration does not address the key question of when and how Pyongyang will abandon its nuclear weapons. The issue was likely put off until the North's planned summit with the United States.

Moon and Kim also agreed that they will aim to declare the end of the Korean War this year, which marks 65 years since the 1953 armistice.

They say that in order to turn the truce into a peace treaty, they will actively seek 3-way talks with the United States, or 4-way talks joined by China.

On steps to ease tensions, the 2 sides agreed to halt propaganda broadcasts, the distribution of fliers, and all other hostile acts near the military demarcation line from May 1st. They also agreed to eliminate all means to engage in such acts.

The 2 leaders further agreed to turn the demilitarized zone into a peace zone in a genuine sense, and to designate a maritime peace zone in the Yellow Sea west of the Korean Peninsula. This would prevent accidental military clashes.

The North and South also decided to set up a permanent liaison office in Kaesong in southwestern North Korea, to be jointly staffed by officials from both sides.

They plan to hold a meeting of each country's Red Cross officials to discuss the resumption of reunions of families separated since the Korean War.

The leaders also agreed that President Moon will visit Pyongyang in this autumn.

At a news conference held after the signing ceremony, Kim said he came to Panmunjom with a resolve to make life peaceful and to start a new future. He said he signed the joint declaration to achieve peace and reunification.