North, South Korea to destroy 22 front-line guard posts by November

The North and South Korean militariesagreed Friday to destroy 22 front-line guard posts by the end of November as they discussed their next steps in implementing awide-ranging military agreement signed last month to reducetensions.

They also agreed to conduct a joint survey early next month of a70-kilometre-long waterway near their western border where civilian vessels from both countries eventually will beallowed to pass freely, according to a statement released after thegeneral-level talks at the border village of Panmunjom.

The plans to remove the guard posts and jointly use the Han Riverestuary were among the commitments spelled out in the militaryagreement reached last month on the sidelines of a summit betweenNorth Korean leader Kim Jong-un and South Korean President MoonJae-in.

Friday's talks came a day after the Koreas and the U.S.-led U.N. Command completed removing firearms and troops from a jointlycontrolled area at the border village. The Koreas have also beenclearing mines from front-line areas and plan to start theirfirst-ever joint search for remains of soldiers killed during the1950-53 Korean War in April.

South Korea confirmed on Thursday that its soldiers had found warremains in a different front-line area.

Results to be verified in December

According to the statement provided by South Korea's DefenceMinistry, the Koreas agreed to complete the withdrawal of personnel,firearms and equipment and the destruction of the 11 guard postsfrom each side by the end of November.

They plan to jointly verifythe results in December.

In the September agreement, the Koreas pledged to eventuallywithdraw all guard posts within the heavily armed Demilitarized Zonebetween them.

The Koreas did not produce a timetable on Friday for setting up ajoint military committee to maintain communication and avoid crisesand accidental clashes, but agreed it should be established"soon."

The Koreas also agreed last month to create buffer zones alongtheir land and sea boundaries, as well as a no-fly zone above theborder.

Moon has described the military agreement as an importanttrust-building step that will reduce border tensions and create morespace for larger U.S.-led negotiations on denuclearizing NorthKorea.

Some experts say South Korea risks conceding its conventionalmilitary strength before North Korea takes any concrete steps towardrelinquishing its nuclear weapons.