Rival Korean leaders to meet April 27
North delegate hails ‘new hope’ for peninsula
PAJU, South Korea — North Korean leader Kim Jong Un will meet South Korean President Moon Jaein in a border village on April 27, the South announced Thursday, for a rare summit that could prove significant in global efforts to resolve the decadeslong standoff over the North’s nuclear program.
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 U.s.-dominated south and Soviet-backed north, which became sovereign nations three years later.
Unification Minister Cho Myoung-gyon, one of three South Korean participants in Thursday’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.
The North’s three delegates were led by Ri Son Gwon, chairman of a state agency that deals with inter-korean affairs. The countries earlier this month agreed to hold a leaders’ summit on the southern side of the border village. Thursday’s meeting was held to determine the date and other issues.
After the meeting, Ri hailed the agreement on the summit, which he said provides “immense expectations and new hope for the entire nation that desires peace on the Korean Peninsula.” He called for officials from both countries to do their best to “perfectly secure the historic meeting between the leaders.”
The countries also agreed to hold a separate meeting to discuss communication issues, such as setting up a telephone hotline between Moon and Kim, and maintain working-level discussions, according to the statement.