North, South Korea to host “day of peace”

Apr 27, 2018, 07:03 am

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President Moon Jae-in will meet North Korean leader Kim Jong-un at the military demarcation line in Panmunjom on April 27./ Source: Yonhap News

By AsiaToday reporter Joo Sung-sik

President Moon Jae-in and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un will begin their historic meeting at the military demarcation line (MDL) in Panmunjom at around 9:30 on Friday. Kim will cross the inter-Korean border on foot, becoming the first North Korean leader to set foot in the South.

The historic summit will include various events, starting with an official welcoming ceremony. Most of all, if the two leaders draw a meaningful level of consensus through in-depth discussions based on mutual trust regarding the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula, the top agenda item, they are expected to make a joint declaration at the end of the meeting.

"Chairman Kim will walk across the MDL between the Military Armistice Commission T2 and T3 buildings, which is where he will be greeted by President Moon Jae-in," the chief of the South's presidential secretariat Im Jong-seok told reporters at the press center for the summit.

Escorted by a South Korean traditional honor guard, the two leaders will then walk together towards the Panmunjom square located between Freedom House and Peace House. After attending the official welcoming ceremony, they will continue the morning session of the summit, including Kim's guestbook signing, taking commemorative photos, and having a chat. In the afternoon, the two leaders will jointly plant a ceremonial pine tree symbolizing peace and prosperity and take a short walk together, engaging in some friendly conversation.

Above all, the highlight is the summit for peace and prosperity on the Korean Peninsula held at the second floor of the Peace House. The summit, which starts at 10:40 am, is expected to be a meaningful event to confirm the North's willingness to denuclearize. The greatest concern would be whether the two leaders could sign and announce a historic agreement on the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula and the establishment of permanent peace.

At the end of the summit, the two leaders will sign an agreement and issue a joint statement, according to Im. According to the content of the agreement, where and how it will be announced will be determined.

If a meaningful level of consensus is reached, the agreement will be entitled, "Panmunjom Declaration." "We are thinking it could be called the Panmunjom Declaration," Im said.

Im announced a list of North Korean officials who will accompany Kim Jong-un. The nine North Korean officials include the North's ceremonial head of state Kim Yong-nam; ruling Workers' Party vice chairmen Kim Yong-chol, Ri Su-yong, and Choe Hwi; Kim's sister Kim Yo-jong; army chief Ri Myong-su; defense chief Pak Yong-suk; foreign minister Ri Yong-hol and unification head Ri Son-gwon.

#inter-Korean summit #Moon Jae-in #Kim Jong-un #historic summit