Agreement on Reconciliation, Non-Aggression, and Exchanges and Cooperation between South and North Korea

• Country/entity

  North Korea
  South Korea
  
• Region

  Asia and Pacific
  Asia and Pacific
  
• Agreement name

  Agreement on Reconciliation, Non-Aggression, and Exchanges and Cooperation between South and North Korea
• Date

  13 Dec 1991
• Agreement status

  Multiparty signed/agreed
• Interim arrangement

  Yes
• Agreement/conflict level

  Interstate/interstate conflict ( Korean Conflict (1950 - ) )
• Stage

  Pre-negotiation/process
• Conflict nature

  Territory
• Peace process

  North Korea - South Korea interstate process
• Parties

  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;
• Third parties

  -
• Description

  A short agreement focusing on several issues, most prominently economic and security co-operation. Agreement establishes several committee's for overseeing future co-operation

• Agreement document

  KR KP_911213_Agreement on reconciliation non aggression and exchanges.pdf | Download PDF

Groups

Gender

State definition

Governance

Power sharing

Human rights and equality

Rights related issues

Rights institutions

Justice sector reform

Socio-economic reconstruction

Land, property and environment

Security sector

Transitional justice

Implementation

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