North And South Korea To Destroy 11 Front-Line Guard Posts By November 2018

rth and South Korean militaries agreed on Friday, October 25 to completely destroy 11 front-line guard posts by end of vember 2018 as y discussed ir next steps in implementing a wide-ranging military agreement signed last month to reduce tensions.

y also agreed to conduct a joint survey early next month of a 70-km-long waterway near ir western border where civilian vessels from both countries eventually will be allowed to pass freely, according to a statement released after general-level talks at border vill of Panmunjom.

plans to remove guard posts and jointly use Han River estuary were among commitments spelled out in military agreement reached last month on sidelines of a summit between rth Korean leer Kim Jong Un and South Korean President Moon Jae-in.

Friday's talks came a day after Koreas and US-led UN Command completed removing firearms and troops from a jointly controlled area at border vill.  Koreas have also been clearing mines from front-line areas and plan to start ir first-ever joint search for remains of soldiers killed during 1950-53 Korean War in April.

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South Korea confirmed on Thursday, October 25 that its soldiers h found war remains in a different front-line area.

According to statement provided by South Korea's Defense Ministry, Koreas agreed to complete withdrawal of personnel, firearms, and equipment and destruction of 11 guard posts by end of vember. y plan to jointly verify results in December.

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In September agreement, Koreas pledged to eventually withdraw all guard posts within heavily armed Demilitarised Zone between m.

Koreas did t produce a timetable on Friday for setting up a joint military committee to maintain communication and avoid crises and accidental clashes, but agreed it should be established "soon".

Koreas also agreed last month to create buffer zones along ir land and sea boundaries, as well as a -fly zone above border.

Moon has described military agreement as an important trust-building step that will reduce border tensions and create more for larger US-led negotiations on denuclearising rth Korea.

Some experts say South Korea risks conceding its conventional military strength before rth Korea takes any concrete steps toward relinquishing its nuclear weapons