On Friday, the leaders of North Korea and South Korea — Kim Jong Un and Moon Jae-in — signed an agreement pledging to work towards a “common goal.”
At a historic summit meeting, the first time a North Korean leader had ever set foot in the South, the two leaders vowed before the Korean people and the whole world that there will be no more war on the Korean Peninsula and thus a “new era of peace” has begun.
Their meeting was marked by some surprisingly candid moments, according to the New York Times, but also sweeping pledges, with Mr. Kim declaring, “I came here to put an end to the history of confrontation.” The historical union was at the Peace House, a conference building on the South Korean side of Panmunjom.
According to BBC, the summit was the third Inter-Korean summit between leaders of North and South Korea. It was the first one in more than a decade and also the first summit meeting for Kim.
Alleviate Military Tension
“South and North Korea will make joint efforts to alleviate the acute military tension and practically eliminate the danger of war on the Korean Peninsula. Alleviating the military tension and eliminating the danger of war is a highly significant challenge directly linked to the fate of the Korean people and also a vital task in guaranteeing their peaceful and stable lives,” the agreement between the two leaders said.
They also agreed to “completely cease all hostile acts against each other in every domain, including land, air and sea, that are the source of military tension and conflict.” They further agreed to transform the demilitarized zone into a peace zone by ceasing as of May 1 this year “all hostile acts and eliminating their means, including broadcasting through loudspeakers and distribution of leaflets, in the areas along the Military Demarcation Line.”
Denuclearize the Korean Peninsula
Noting that 2018 is the 65th anniversary of the Armistice, the North and South Korea leaders agreed to seek four-way talks involving the U.S. and China to establish a permanent and solid peace regime on the peninsula.
“South and North Korea confirmed the common goal of realizing, through complete denuclearization, a nuclear-free Korean Peninsula. South and North Korea shared the view that the measures being initiated by North Korea are very meaningful and crucial for the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula and agreed to carry out their respective roles and responsibilities in this regard,” the declaration said. “South and North Korea agreed to actively seek the support and cooperation of the international community for the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula.”
Reconnect blood relations
“South and North Korea agreed to endeavor to swiftly resolve the humanitarian issues that resulted from the division of the nation, and to convene the Inter-Korean Red Cross Meeting to discuss and solve various issues including the reunion of separated families. In this vein, South and North Korea agreed to proceed with reunion programs for the separated families on the occasion of the National Liberation Day of August 15 this year,” the declaration said.
The two leaders agreed to demonstrate their collective wisdom, talents, and solidarity by jointly participating in international sports events such as the 2018 Asian Games.
They also agreed to promote balanced economic growth and co-prosperity of the nation.
The countries’ defense officials will meet in May, and Moon plans to visit Pyongyang later in the year for another summit.
Moon and Kim also agreed to hold “regular meetings and direct telephone conversations” and “frequent and candid discussions.”
By Staff Writer.
