PRESIDENT MOON'S SPEECH AT UNGA

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President Moon Jae-in spoke at the UN General Assembly early Tuesday and proposed transforming the Demilitarized Zone at the inter-Korean border into an international peace zone. He envisions that if the DMZ becomes a peace zone housing international organizations such as the UN, it can help lower tensions on the Korean Peninsula and also offer security guarantees for North Korea.

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In a keynote speech at the UN General Assembly, President Moon Jae-in unveiled his vision on Korean peace. He proposed turning the Demilitarized Zone, a symbol of the divided state of the Korean Peninsula, into what he called an "international peace zone."

[Soundbite] PRES. MOON JAE-IN : "I propose to all UN member nations the idea of transforming the DMZ into an international peace zone."

His vision entails designating the area connecting the border village of Panmunjeom and North Korea's border town of Kaesong as a "peace and cooperation district." Moon said if the DMZ comes to house UN offices and other international organizations and emerge as a center for research on peace and arms control, it can become an international peace zone in name as well as substance. President Moon also asked for the UN's participation in mine removal work at the DMZ.

[Soundbite] PRES. MOON JAE-IN : "Cooperation with the international community will not only guarantee transparency and stability of demining operations, but also instantly turn the DMZ into an area of global cooperation."

He said the establishment of an international peace zone can lower tensions on the peninsula and also reassure North Korea that its security is guaranteed. Moon said that once peace is established between the two Koreas, he will work together with the North to have the DMZ listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Regarding talks between North Korea and the US, Moon said the actions taken by President Donald Trump and Chairman Kim Jong-un led to dramatic changes on the Korean Peninsula. He also expressed hope that both leaders will take yet another huge step, hinting at a third Washington-Pyongyang summit.