Seoul to implement inter-Korean military agreement next week

TOKYO, Oct 23 (KUNA) -- South Korea will likely implement its non-aggression military agreement with North Korea next week, Yonhap News Agency reported Tuesday, citing a presidential official.
"The president will likely sign the bill today or tomorrow. Once the bill is signed, the signed agreement will be exchanged with North Korea, after which the agreement will be published in the government's official gazette," Presidential Office Spokesman Kim Eui-kyeom told reporters in Seoul, adding the agreement will take effect soon as it is published.
"I believe it likely be (published) next Monday or Tuesday," Kim was quoted as saying. The move could be seen as paving the way for the declaration of a formal end to the Korean War, according to the report.
His remarks came hours after the government passed a bill on the ratification of the military agreement signed in the latest inter-Korean summit held in Pyongyang last month.
President Moon Jae-in and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un agreed to seek a formal end to the 1950-53 Korean War when they held their first-ever summit in the border village of Panmunjom in April.
The latest military agreement, signed on the sidelines of the leaders' third and latest summit in Pyongyang, seeks to further reduce military tension between the two Koreas, who technically remain at war. Under the agreement, the two Koreas agreed never to use military force against each other under any circumstances. (end) mk.tg