Two Koreas to talk peace on April 27
Seoul and Pyongyang set date for rare inter-Korean summit following high-level meeting in Panmunjom.
PAJU (South Korea): North Korean leader Kim Jong-un will meet South Korean President Moon Jae-in at a border village on April 27, the South announced, for a rare summit that could prove significant in global efforts to resolve the decades-long standoff over the North’s nuclear programme.
The announcement was made after officials of the two countries met at the border village of Panmunjom. The Koreas plan to hold another preparatory meeting on April 4 to discuss security, protocol and media coverage issues, according to a statement released by the countries.
Leaders of the two Koreas have held talks only twice since the 195053 Korean War, in 2000 and 2007, under previous liberal governments in South Korea. The Korean Peninsula was divided in 1945 into a US-dominated south and Sovietbacked north, which became sovereign nations three years later.
Unification Minister Cho Myounggyon, one of three South Korean participants in yesterday’s talks, told reporters beforehand that setting up discussions between the leaders on the North’s nuclear disarmament would be a critical point.
After the meeting, Cho told South Korean reporters there was a “sufficient exchange of opinions” on the agenda for the summit, but didn’t provide a clear answer on whether discussions of the nuclear issue will be included.
“Both sides agreed to prepare for (the summit) in a way that would allow sincere and heartfelt discussions (between the leaders). If there’s a need, we decided to continue discussions on the summit agenda through follow-up high-level meetings in April,” Cho said.
“Both sides will continue working-level discussions (on the agenda) while focusing on the issues surrounding the denuclearisation of the Korean Peninsula, the stabilisation of peace and the develop- ment of relations between the South and North.”
When asked whether such issues would shape the discussions between Kim and Moon, Cho said “Yes”.
The North’s three delegates were led by Ri Son-gwon, chairman of a state agency that deals with inter-Korean affairs.