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North-South Military Working Talks Held

Korean Central News Agency of DPRK

    Pyongyang, July 1 (KCNA) -- The north-south military working talks were held in Phaju of south Korea on June 29 and 30 for the first-phase review of the implementation of the appendix to the "agreement on the prevention of accidental conflicts in the West Sea, stop to the propaganda in areas along the Military Demarcation Line and the removal of propaganda means" which was adopted at the second round of the North-South General-level Military Talks. Present there were the military working delegation of the north side led by Senior Colonel Yu Yong Chol of the Ministry of the People's Armed Forces and the military working delegation of the south side led by Col. Mun Song Muk of the Defence Ministry.
    The head of the north side's delegation said that both sides have taken a big stride forward in the implementation of the first phase task to stop the propaganda in areas along the MDL and remove its means in a matter of little over half a month as stipulated in the agreement.
    According to him, both sides completely stopped all propaganda activities against the other side in all areas along the MDL as of 0:00 on June 15, the fourth anniversary of the publication of the historic north-south joint declaration, and completed in the main since June 16 the work to remove on a trial basis propaganda means in the lower reaches of the River Han and along the western coastal areas and on islands, to say nothing of the section between MDL marker No. 0001 and 0100 which includes Panmunjom and west coastal areas under the control of the north and the south.
    In this period the north side has sincerely implemented the agreed points in the agreement in a responsible manner and the south side, too, has completely removed 18 batches of loudspeakers, 18 slogan boards and posters and four electronic displays included in the list of those to be removed at the first phase.
    The head of the north side's delegation stressed that it is the first historic event in the more than half a century long history of division that both sides have completely stopped propaganda activities at a date agreed upon and finished in the main the first phase task to remove propaganda means despite unfavorable climatic and working conditions in sensitive areas along the MDL.
    All these achievements made by the armies of both sides by concerted efforts are one more precious fruition of the June 15 North-South Joint Declaration, a permanent landmark of independent and peaceful reunification and great national unity, he said.
    At the talks both sides declared at home and abroad that the first-phase project to remove propaganda means in areas along the MDL has been successfully completed in the main. They agreed to commence the second-phase project for the same purpose after reaching an agreement at the earliest possible date in spite of the fact that there cropped up some differences at the negotiations as the project was the first of its kind in history.