And the opening of the joint liaison office today is even more significant considering that we just have a few days left before the third inter-Korean summit.
And our Hong Yoo explains further on the process that the two Koreas went through to open the office,... and the meaning behind it.
For the first time in history, South and North Korea have created a permanent communication channel that allows contact any day, any time.

And with this, a new future of active communication between the two Koreas has begun.

In the Panmunjom Declaration which was signed at the end of the first summit between President Moon Jae-in and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, the two leaders agreed to create the joint liaison office to allow constant communication, support interactive summits between the two Koreas, and promote civilian exchanges.

The office was agreed to be located in the North Korean city of Kaesong.
Then, at the high-level talks which were held on June 1st, Seoul and Pyeongyang narrowed the venue down to the Kaesong Industrial Complex, a joint factory park they ran together until February 2016.
But the complex, having been abandoned for the last couple of years, needed some renovations.
So the two Koreas examined the complex in June, and renovations started in July.

In August, Seoul and Pyeongyang signed a written agreement on how to manage the joint liaison office.
And during the most recent visit by the South Korean special delegation to North Korea, the two sides agreed to open the office before the 3rd Moon-Kim summit.

"Now, the officials of the two Koreas are in the same place for 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. So they can meet easily to discuss important issues and reach an agreement. This joint liaison office will not only be a tool for political conversation but will also be a window for civilian interaction."

"South Korean President Moon said "Peace is economy". So by opening the joint liaison office in Kaesong, hopefully when the nuclear issue comes to an end after this upcoming summit, the Kaesong Industrial Complex could be reopened."

The South Korean Unification Ministry said the two Koreas aim to ultimately set up resident representative offices in each other's capitals.
Hong Yoo, Arirang News.