North and South Korea: Kim, Moon hail new future

South Korean President Moon Jae-in and the North's Kim Jong-un have hailed a new future for the two Koreas, signing a wide-ranging agreement in Pyongyang, reports BBC. 

The two sides have "agreed on a way to achieve denuclearisation," Mr Moon said at a news conference. 

Mr Kim also agreed to shut down one of North Korea's main missile launching sites.

The agreement was described by Mr Kim as a "leap forward" towards military peace on the peninsula.

They also plan to link up their railways, allow reunions for families separated by the Korean War and co-operate on health care. 

‘Kim to visit Seoul’
"The North agreed to permanently close the Tongchang-ri missile engine test site and missile launch facility in the presence of experts from relevant nations," Mr Moon said after the signing. 

Mr Kim said he had promised his Southern counterpart he would "visit Seoul in the near future" - it would be the first visit of a leader from the North to the South's capital.

The two countries will also seek to co-host the 2032 Summer Olympics. 

The South's defence minister and the head of the North Korean army also signed an agreement to further reduce military tensions. 

North Korea has embarked on an unprecedented series of meetings this year with both the South and the US. 

But efforts towards denuclearisation between the North and the US had recently hit a deadlock and there's hope the South will act as a mediator. 

The latest signing comes during a three day visit to Pyongyang by Mr Moon. 

While it is the first trip to the North Korean capital in a decade by a leader from the South, it is Mr Moon's third meeting with Kim Jong-un since their historic summit in April.