The South Korean defense ministry on Tuesday said it will reduce the ROK’s troops and equipment at guard posts along the demilitarized zone (DMZ) in stages, while pledging to build “core capabilities” against the North’s missile and nuclear arsenal “as planned.”

At a plenary session of the National Assembly’s defense committee, the Ministry of National Defense (MND) announced plans to withdraw military forces on the heavily fortified border, as part of broader steps towards implementing April’s Panmunjom Declaration.

“We will push forward the plan to withdraw forces and equipment of the guard posts within the DMZ on a trial basis