The Latest: Moon defends recent military deals with North

The Latest on diplomacy and other moves on the Korean Peninsula (all times local):

2 p.m.

South Korea’s President Moon Jae-in says recent military agreements would “end all hostile acts at the land, sea and sky between South and North Korea.”

Moon defended the agreements in lunchtime remarks Monday on South Korea‘s 70th Armed Forces Day. He also called for a stronger national defense, saying “peace can continue only when we have power and are confidant of protecting ourselves.”

Critics have worried that Moon’s recent inter-Korean military deals would weaken South Korea’s war readiness because the North’s nuclear program largely remains intact.

South Korea also on Monday held a ceremony marking the recent return of remains of 64 South Korean soldiers missing from the Korean War. Seoul’s Defense Ministry says the remains were found in North Korea during a joint 1996-2005 excavation project between the United States and North Korea. Testing done in Hawaii confirmed they belong to South Korean war dead.

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11:30 a.m.

Seoul says South Korea has begun clearing mines from two sites inside the heavily fortified border with North Korea under a package of tension-reduction deal between the rivals.

Seoul’s Defense Ministry says North Korea is expected to do the same on Monday.

Ministry officials say South Korean troops entered the Demilitarized Zone on Monday morning to remove mines around the border village of Panmunjom and another frontline area where they plan their first joint searches with North Korea for soldiers during the 1950-53 Korean War.

The Koreas’ militaries agreed on a range of deals aimed at lowering their decades-long military animosities on the sidelines of a summit between their leaders in Pyongyang.

The move comes amid renewed international diplomacy on North Korea’s nuclear program.