North and South Korea have connected a road across their shared border for the first time in 14 years, Seoul's defence ministry said Thursday in the latest reconciliation gesture between the neighbours.
The dirt road, which is wholly within the Demilitarized Zone that divides the peninsula, will be used for joint operations next year to recover remains from the 1950-53 Korean War.
The 12-metre-wide construction of the route in Cheorwon, near the mid-point of the DMZ, is one of several steps agreed at the Pyongyang summit between the South's President Moon Jae-in and the North's leader Kim Jong Un in September.
The neighbours also pledged to remove bunkers and weapons from the border truce village of Panmunjom.
But Seoul and Washington are pursuing increasingly different approaches to the nuclear-armed North.
The dovish Moon has pursued a policy of engagement with his isolated neighbour, while the US insists pressure should be maintained on Pyongyang until it denuclearises.
Pictures handed out by Seoul's defence ministry Thursday showed a South Korean soldier and a North Korean counterpart taking part in the "recent" roadworks holding their hands out toward each other, with their colleagues watching.
"It is historically significant for the North and the South to open a new passage and jointly engage in operations to recover remains of war dead at the place which saw the worst battles during the war," the ministry said.
Despite its name the area around the DMZ is one of the most fortified places on earth, replete with minefields and barbed-wire fences.
US Secretary of Mike Pompeo stressed this week that Washington wants to "make sure that peace on the peninsula and the denuclearisation of North Korea aren't lagging behind the increase in the amount of inter-relationship between the two Koreas".
Related Links
Learn about nuclear weapons doctrine and defense at SpaceWar.com
Learn about missile defense at SpaceWar.com
All about missiles at SpaceWar.com
Learn about the Superpowers of the 21st Century at SpaceWar.com
| Thanks for being here; We need your help. The SpaceDaily news network continues to grow but revenues have never been harder to maintain. With the rise of Ad Blockers, and Facebook - our traditional revenue sources via quality network advertising continues to decline. And unlike so many other news sites, we don't have a paywall - with those annoying usernames and passwords. Our news coverage takes time and effort to publish 365 days a year. If you find our news sites informative and useful then please consider becoming a regular supporter or for now make a one off contribution.</span> |
||
| SpaceDaily Contributor $5 Billed Once credit card or paypal |
 |
SpaceDaily Monthly Supporter $5 Billed Monthly paypal only |
N. Korea blows up frontline bunkers
Seoul (AFP) Nov 20, 2018
Pyongyang blew up 10 guard posts in the Demilitarized Zone Tuesday as the two Koreas pursue a reconciliation drive, even while denuclearisation talks stall between the US and the North. The move is one of the steps agreed during the Pyongyang summit between the South's President Moon Jae-in and the North's leader Kim Jong Un in Pyongyang in September. The North told the South that it would blow up the 10 facilities almost simultaneously, Seoul's defence ministry said, adding that Southern soldie ... read more
from Military Space News, Nuclear Weapons, Missile Defense https://ift.tt/2BqY8dx
via space News
No comments: