SEOUL, Oct. 19 (Xinhua) -- The United Nations Command said Friday that it has verified a mine clearance to disarm the Joint Security Area (JSA) in the border area between South Korea and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK).
The UN Command said in a press release that it has reviewed and verified the mine clearance works done to date at the JSA in the truce village of Panmunjom as part of the comprehensive military agreement (CMA).
The CMA was signed by defense chiefs of the two Koreas during the Pyongyang summit last month between South Korean President Moon Jae-in and top DPRK leader Kim Jong Un.
Under the military agreement, soldiers from the two sides have conducted a 20-day operation to remove landmines inside the JSA since Oct. 1.
The JSA, where soldiers from the two sides stand face-to-face, was set up right after the 1950-1953 Korean War ended with armistice. The Korean Peninsula remains in a technical state of war because of the armistice.
"Yesterday's UN Command verification of initial mine clearance operations in the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) lays the foundation for future progress on the CMA implementation," said Gen. Vincent Brooks, the commander of the UN Command.
The UN Command said it supported next steps by South Korea and the DPRK in implementing additional practical measures of the CMA.
After wrapping up the landmine removal Saturday, the two Koreas planned to withdraw troops, firearms and guard posts from the JSA.
After the disarmament, South Korea and the DPRK would station a patrol of 35 soldiers each, including five officers, with no weapon inside the JSA.
