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During general-level inter-Korean military talks in Panmunjeom on June 14

The military communication line between South and North Korea has been fully restored.

Following last month’s resurrection of the military communication line for the West Sea region, the line for the East Sea region was also restored to normal operation on Aug. 15.

In a statement that day, the South Korean Ministry of National Defense announced, “In the interest of implementing the terms of the Panmunjeom Declaration [on Apr. 27] and the inter-Korean general officer-level military talks [on June 14 and July 31], South and North Korean military authorities have completed restoration of the East Sea region military communication line as of today [Aug. 15], which, following normalization of the West Sea region communication line on July 16, means that all functions have been normalized.”

“All functions are currently operating normally, including landline communications between South and North Korean military authorities through optical cables as well as fax transmission and receipt for the exchange of documents,” the ministry added.

The restoration of the East Sea region military communication line comes almost eight years after it was totally destroyed in a forest fire on Nov. 28, 2010.

“With the full restoration of the East Sea region military communication line in addition to the West Sea region line, an environment has been establishment for South and North Korean military authorities to maintain multiple stable channels for communication,” the ministry said.

“Following the normalization of the East Sea region military communication line, South and North Korean military authorities will be able to provide unhindered support for passage and communications for the inter-Korean divided family reunion event taking place in the Mt. Keumgang region between Aug. 20 and 26,” it continued.

Observers are predicting the full restoration of the military communication line will allow authorities on both sides to easily provide military guarantees such as support for visitors’ passage in future exchange and cooperation efforts involving modernization of the East Sea railway line and roads and collaborations in the area of forestry.

“With the complete restoration of the East Sea region military communication line now in addition to the West Sea region one as an implementation measure for the Panmunjeom Declaration agreed upon by the South and North Korean leaders, we will be able to contribute in a substantive way to relaxing military tensions and building trust between South and North,” the ministry said.

By Noh Ji-won, staff reporter

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