By Kim Bo-eun
South and North Korea and the United Nations Command (UNC) agreed to set up rules for joint patrols at the truce village of Panmunjeom, at a meeting held Tuesday.
The defense ministry said the specifics would be decided through document exchanges.
The parties evaluated the verification of removals of several guard posts in the Joint Security Area (JSA) that took place Oct. 26 and 27. They also examined a new guard post that was set up there.
As a means to carry out a military accord to disarm the JSA, five guard posts in the North and four in the South were closed earlier.
In addition, the Koreas and the UNC inspected how surveillance equipment is managed on each side, and discussed means of adjusting this.
They also agreed that when rules on the patrols are established they would seek to enable tourists in the JSA to move freely at the truce village of Panmunjeom.
It was the third trilateral meeting on disarming in the JSA. The parties were represented by South Korean Army Col. Cho Yong-geun, the North's Army Col. Om Chang-nam and UNC Army Col. Burke Hamilton.
The first trilateral talks were held Oct. 16, and checked the follow-up of an agreement to clear landmines in the JSA which began Oct. 1. This is among the agreements in the inter-Korean military accord signed by defense chiefs of the Koreas at the third summit between President Moon Jae-in and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un in September.
They held their second meeting Oct. 22, confirming that the clearing of landmines had been completed, and agreed to take measures to remove some of the guard posts in the JSA by Oct. 25.
The South and North agreed in the September military accord to allow visitors free movement within the JSA. It will be open to tourists from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. as early as this month.