Seoul – South Korean loudspeakers broadcasting propaganda over the militarised border to the North were switched off Tuesday, a Defence Ministry official said
The switch off is part of a deal to defuse recently escalating tensions after three days of high-level talks.
Seoul had said it would switch off the loudspeaker at noon local time in return for North Korea’s expression of `regret’ over a landmine explosion in the demilitarised zone.
The explosion blew the legs off two South Korean troops on patrol in the demilitarized zone between the countries earlier this month.
North Korea also agreed to lift its `quasi-state of war,’ South Korean security advisor, Kim Kwan Jin, said from Seoul on Monday while the talks were still on-going.
Meanwhile, North and South Korea reached a six-point agreement early Tuesday to defuse tensions.
The most recent escalations started on Agu.4 when a landmine blew the legs off two South Korean troops on patrol in the demilitarised zone.[pro_ad_display_adzone id=”70560″]
South Korea responded by turning on loudspeakers broadcasting propaganda over the border for the first time in 11 years, prompting an exchange of artillery fire that killed no one.
South Korea media reported that both sides agreed to further talks on several topics in the near future even as the North expressed “regret” over the landmine incident
The report said Seoul agreed to turn off the loudspeakers at noon, local time on Tuesday, barring any `abnormal’ activities.
It said Pyongyang agreed to lift the declaration that the two sides were in a `quasi-state of war.’
According to the report, North and South Korea agreed to resume reunions of families separated by the Korean War that ended in 1953, starting in the upcoming harvest holidays in September.
Both sides also agreed to renew ties between non-profit organisations in each country in various sectors. (dpa/NAN)
