Two Koreas launch demining operations in DMZ

The two Koreas began operations to remove landmines in the Joint Security Area (JSA) in the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) and part of Cheorwon, Gangwon Province on Monday. Seoul’s defense ministry said that the demining operation is the first measure implemented among a series of military agreements made in the Panmunjom Declaration.

The work in the JSA is set to last for 20 days in the Northern and Southern side, respectively. The defense ministry said that it will “deploy an engineer corps to sweep for mines in the eastern and western area of woodlands and areas surrounding surveillance towers in the JSA.” The two Koreas and the United Nations Command (UNC) are also expected to launch trilateral consultations over a range of issues, such as how their troops including unarmed soldiers will operate following their disarmament and measures to prevent defections to the North and South at the Military Demarcation Line (MDL) in the JSA.

The work to eliminate landmines in Arrowhead Ridge in Cheorwon, where a joint project to excavate Korean War remains is planned, will continue until Nov. 30. The South Korean defense ministry also plans to complete the construction of a 12-meter-wide road by the end of this year to facilitate progress in the joint recovery operations.


Sang-Ho Yun ysh1005@donga.com