Korean Peninsula Diplomacy: Inter-Korean military talks to follow Trump-Kim summit

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The north and south of Korea will also hold their highest level of military talks in more than a decade next week. Observers say a number of tricky issues will be discussed. Natasha Hussein has more.

Two days after the historic Trump-Kim summit, the DPRK and the ROK will hold military talks in the Tongilgak on the north side of the truce village of Panmunjom.

This is in line with the Panmunjom Declaration signed by the leaders of the two sides on April 27 that calls for joint efforts to alleviate military tensions and "eliminate the danger of war."

These talks were initially slated for May. But they were postponed when Pyongyang canceled high-level talks in protest against South Korea-U.S. air force drills.

The two sides are expected to touch first on less sensitive issues, such as restoring a military communication line.

But they could also exchange views on thorny issues, such as turning the Northern Limit Line, a disputed sea border, into a maritime peace zone and also transforming the heavily fortified Demilitarized Zone into a peace zone.

During the Panmunjom summit in April, South Korean President Moon Jae-in and DPRK leader Kim Jong-un agreed to work together to address the knotty issues surrounding these two border issues.

Ahead of the Trump-Kim Singapore summit and the inter-Korean military talks, DPRK removed its top three military officials from their posts.

South Korean media said Ro Kwang Chol, first vice minister of the Ministry of People's Armed Forces, had replaced Pak Yong Sik as defense chief, while Ri Myong Su was replaced by his deputy, Ri Yong Gil. And Army General Kim Su Gil replaced Kim Jong Gak as director of the KPA's General Political Bureau.