Korean Peninsula Diplomacy: Seoul, Pyongyang disarm historic flashpoint in the demilitarized zone

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03:25

Korean denuclearization diplomacy may have come to a complete standstill of late. But, Pyongyang and Seoul are still pushing ahead with plans to turn the demilitarized zone which divides the peninsula into a PEACE zone. One of the biggest changes have come at the Joint Security Area, known as the JSA. CGTN's Jack Barton was invited to witness the newly disarmed JSA first hand.

The Joint Security Area in the heart of Korea's Demilitarized Zone was still a hot spot at the start of 2018, a seemingly permanent Cold War stand-off between armed soldiers in helmets.

JACK BARTON KOREAN DEMILITARIZED ZONE "The helmets are now gone, along with the guns and the landmines in this area, all part of the inter-Korean agreement struck between President Moon Jae-in and Kim Jong Un when they met here a little over a year ago."

A no-fly zone has also been created, artillery pulled back and there are even plans for soldiers and tourists to move across this strip of concrete marking the military demarcation line, or MDL.

The only place it's possible for me to cross right now are the meeting rooms where inter-Korean talks are conducted.

Soldiers from the U.N. and DPRK have already been moving back and forth.

PRIVATE YATES UNITED NATIONS COMMAND "They went into their checkpoint to make sure all weapons are out and then they came to our side, so that's the goal to interact as peacefully as possible."

It's hoped the JSA can become neutral territory.

PRIVATE YATES UNITED NATIONS COMMAND "There's no more weapons, all checkpoints have been sealed and unmanned, so the goal is to have a peaceful existence with North Korea. They have their tours going on right now and we have ours and everything is peaceful and that's the goal for the future. Hopefully, in the future, both North and South Korean soldiers will do the security mission side by side."

Then comes a surprise.

I'm taken to an area that normally only soldiers see, or officials visiting the other side.

It's yet another sign of easing tensions, at least between Pyongyang and Seoul.

JACK BARTON KOREAN DEMILITARIZED ZONE "This is the spot where President Moon and Kim Jong Un had their intimate chat. This area has always been off-limits to the public or the press, until now."

I'm also shown the tree that Kim and Moon planted during their first summit.

PRIVATE YATES UNITED NATIONS COMMAND "Right now it's a little brown, from what I hear they are going to get someone whose full-time job it will be to take care of the tree."

A handy metaphor perhaps for the broader nuclear diplomacy that stalled soon after the tree was planted.

And while the advances here at the demilitarized zone prove change is possible, they also illustrate how slow and difficult it is to make even modest progress and just how long the road ahead might be when it comes the prospect of the larger diplomacy aimed at a nuclear-free Korean peninsula. Jack Barton for CGTN at the DMZ.