Joint press statement of high-level inter-Korean talks

High-level inter-Korean talks were held at Panmunjeom on Tuesday.

At the talks, the two sides earnestly discussed the matter of the North Korean delegation’s participation in the PyeongChang Olympic Winter Games and Paralympic Winter Games, and issues surrounding improving inter-Korean relations in accordance with the hopes and expectations of the Korean people, and agreed to the following. 

1. South and North agreed to actively collaborate for the success of the PyeongChang Olympic Winter Games and Paralympic Winter Games, which will serve as an opportunity to raise the Korean people’s status.
In relation to this, the North decided to send a high-level delegation, Olympic Committee delegation, athletes, cheering squad, cultural performance troupe, taekwondo demonstration group, observation delegation and press corps to the PyeongChang Games.

The two sides agreed to hold working-level talks regarding matters concerning the North sending an advance party to assess the sites, and the North’s participation in Winter Games, and to negotiate the schedule by exchanging written statements. 

2. The South and North agreed to collaborate in facilitating reconciliation and unity by easing military tensions, and to establish a peaceful environment. 

The South and North agreed on the need to ease military tensions and hold military talks to resolve the issue.

The South and North agreed to facilitate contact, exchange and cooperation in diverse fields to establish reconciliation and unity of the people.

3. The South and the North respect the inter-Korean declarations and have decided to resolve the issues raised in inter-Korean relations through dialogue and negotiations, as parties directly involved in the matters surrounding the Korean Peninsula.

For these reasons, both parties decided to hold meetings in respective areas with a high-level South-North meeting to improve inter-Korean ties.