Agreement on Reconciliation, Non-Aggression, and Exchanges and Cooperation between South and North Korea (CD/1147)

"The World and Japan" Database (Project Leader: TANAKA Akihiko)

Database of Japanese Politics and International Relations

National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies (GRIPS); Institute for Advanced Studies on Asia (IASA), The University of Tokyo

[Title] Agreement on Reconciliation, Non-Aggression, and Exchanges and Cooperation between South and North Korea (CD/1147)

[Place]

[Date] December 13, 1991

[Source] United Nations Peace Maker

[Notes] GE.92-60809

[Full text]

CONFERENCE ON DISARMAMENT

CD/1147

25 March 1992

ENGLISH

Original: ENGLISH and FRENCH

LETTER DATED 20 MARCH 1992 FROM THE PERMANENT REPRESENTATIVES OF THE REPUBLIC OF KOREA AND THE DEMOCRATIC PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF KOREA ADDRESSED TO THE SECRETARY-GENERAL OF THE CONFERENCE ON DISARMAMENT TRANSMITTING THE TEXT OF THE AGREEMENT ON RECONCILIATION, NON-AGGRESSION AND EXCHANGES AND COOPERATION BETWEEN THE SOUTH AND THE NORTH, AS WELL AS THE TEXT OF THE JOINT DECLARATION OF THE DENUCLEARIZATION OF THE KOREAN PENINSULA

We have the honour to transmit to you the texts of both the Agreement on Reconciliation, Non-aggression and Exchanges and Cooperation between the South and the North and the Joint Declaration of the Denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula, both of which came into effect on 19 February 1992.

We should be very grateful if you. Sir, in accordance with the established practice, would arrange for both texts to be issued as one official document of the Conference on Disarmament and distributed to all delegations, including those of the member States and States with observer status.

(Signed): Soo Gil Park

Ambassador

Permanent Representative of the Republic of Korea

(Signed): Ri Tcheul

Ambassador

Permanent Representative of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea

Agreement on Reconciliation, Non-aggression and

Exchanges and Cooperation between the South and the North

The South and the North,

In keeping with the yearning of the entire Korean people for the peaceful unification of the divided land;

Reaffirming the three principles of unification set forth in the July 4 (1972) South-North Joint Communique;

Determined to remove the state of political and military confrontation and achieve national reconciliation;

Also determined to avoid armed aggression and hostilities, reduce tension and ensure peace;

Expressing the desire to realize multi-faceted exchanges and cooperation to advance common national interests and prosperity;

Recognizing that their relations, not being a relationship between states, constitute a special interim relationship stemming from the process towards reunification;

Pledging to exert joint efforts to achieve peaceful unification;

Hereby have agreed as follows:

CHAPTER I

SOUTH-NORTH RECONCILIATION

Article 1:The South and the North shall recognize and respect each other's system.

Article 2: The two sides shall not interfere in each other's internal affairs.

Article 3: The two sides shall not slander or vilify each other.

Article 4: The two sides shall not attempt any actions of sabotage or subversion against each other.

Article 5: The two sides shall endeavor together to transform the present state of armistice into a solid state of peace between the South and the North and shall abide by the present Military Armistice Agreement (of July 27,1953) until such a state of peace has been realized.

Article 6: The two sides shall cease to compete or confront each other in the international arena and shall cooperate and endeavor together to promote national prestige and interests.

Article 7: To ensure close consultations and liaison between the two sides, South-North Liaison Offices shall be established at Panmunjon within three (3) months after the coming into force of this Agreement.

Article 8: A South-North Political Committee shall be established within the framework of the South-North High-Level Talks within one (1)month of the coming into force of this Agreement with a view to discussing concrete measures to ensure the implementation and observance of the accords on South-North reconciliation.

CHAPTER II

SOUTH-NORTH NON-AGGRESSION

Article 9: the two sides.shall not use force against each other and shall not undertake armed aggression against each, other.

Article 10: Differences of views and disputes arising between the two sides shall be resolved peacefully through dialogue„and negotiation.

Article 11: The South-North demarcation line and areas for non-aggression shall be identical with the Military Demarcation Line specified in the Military Armistice Agreement of July 27, 1953 and the areas that have been under the jurisdiction of each side until the present time.

Article 12: To implement and guarantee non-aggression, the two sides shall set up a South-North Joint Military Commission within three (3) months of the coming into force of . this Agreement. In the said Commission, the two sides shall discuss and carry out steps to build military confidence and realize arms reduction, including the mutual notification and control of major movements of military units and major military exercises, the peaceful utilization of the Demilitarized Zone, exchanges of military personnel and information, phased reductions in armaments including the elimination of weapons of mass destruction and attack capabilities, and verifications thereof.

Article 13: A telephone hotline shall be installed between the military authorities of the two sides to prevent accidental armed clashes and their escalation.

Article 14: A South-North Military Committee shall be established within the framework of the South-North High-Level Talks within one (1) month of the coming into force of this Agreement in order to discuss concrete measures to ensure the implementation and observance of the accords on non-aggression and to remove military confrontation.

CHAPTER III

SOUTH-NORTH EXCHANGES AND COOPERATION

Article 15: To promote an integrated and balanced development of the national economy and the welfare of the entire people, the two sides shall engage in economic exchanges and cooperation, including the joint development of resources, the trade of goods as domestic commerce and joint ventures.

Article 16: The two sides shall carry out exchanges and cooperation in various fields such as science and technology, education, literature and the arts, health, sports, environment, and publishing and journalism including newspapers, radio and television broadcasts and publications.

Article 17: The two sides shall promote free intra-Korean travel and contacts for the residents of their respective areas.

Article 18: The two sides shall permit free correspondence, reunions and visits between dispersed family members and other relatives and shall promote the voluntary reunion of divided families and shall take measures to resolve other humanitarian issues.

Article 19: The two sides shall reconnect railroads and roads that have been cut off and shall open South-North sea and air transport routes.

Article 20: The two sides shall establish and link facilities needed for South-North postal and telecommunications services and shall guarantee the confidentiality of intra-Korean mail and telecommunications.

Article 21: The two sides shall cooperate in the international arena in the economic, cultural and various other fields and carry out joint undertakings abroad.

Article 22: To implement accords on exchanges and cooperation in the economic, cultural and various other fields, the two sides shall establish joint commissions for specific sectors, including a Joint South-North Economic Exchanges and Cooperation Commission, within three (3) months of the coming into force of this Agreement.

Article 23: A South-North Exchanges and Cooperation Commission shall be established within the framework of the South-North High-Level Talks within one (1) month of the coming into force of this Agreement with a view to discussing concrete measures to ensure the implementation and observance of the accords on South-North exchanges and cooperation.

CHAPTER IV

AMENDMENTS AND EFFECTUATION

Article 24: This Agreement may be amended or supplemented by concurrence between the two sides.

Article 25: This Agreement shall enter into force as of the day the two sides exchange appropriate instruments following the completion of their respective procedures for bringing it into effect.

Signed on December 13, 1991

Chung Won-shik

Prime Minister Republic of Korea

Chief delegate of the South delegation to the South-North High-Level Talks

Yon Hyong-muk

Premier

Administration Council Democratic People's Republic of Korea

Head of the North delegation to the South-North High-Level Talks