‘A new era of peace has begun’
Leaders of North, South Korea pledge an official end to decades-old Korean War
SEOUL — North and South Korea have hailed “a new era of peace” after their leaders agreed to pursue a set of historic goals, including a nuclear-free Korean Peninsula and an official end to the Korean War.
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un expressed willingness on Friday to scrap his country’s nuclear program — which would include its nuclear weapons, a key source of international concern — according to a joint statement issued after talks with South Korean President Moon Jae In.
“There is no reason why we should fight each other — we are one nation,” Kim said in a speech during a day heavy with symbolism in the border village of Panmunjom.
“As I stand here today, I can see that South and North Korea are the same people, the same blood — they cannot be separated,” Kim said.
North and South Korea also agreed to pursue meetings involving the United States and China “with a view to declaring an end to the war and establishing a permanent and solid peace regime,” according to the joint statement, dubbed the Panmunjom Declaration.
The Korean War ended in 1953 with an armistice, rather than a peace treaty.
UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres lauded the “truly historic summit” between the leaders of North and South Korea on Friday.
“Many around the world were moved by the powerful imagery of the two leaders coming together to advance harmony and peace on the Korean Peninsula,” Guterres said in a statement issued by his spokesman.
After Friday’s session, future meetings could take the form of trilateral talks involving North and South Korea and the United States, or quadrilateral meetings involving the Koreas, the US and China, the statement said.
“Korean war to end!” US President Donald Trump declared on Twitter, following the summit. “The United States, and all of its great people, should be very proud of what is now taking place in Korea!”
Trump also praised Chinese President Xi Jinping for helping to bring the Koreas together.
“Please do not forget the great help that my good friend, President Xi of China, has given to the United States, particularly at the border of North Korea,” Trump tweeted.
“Without him it would have been a much longer, tougher, process!”
A secretive four-day visit by Kim to Beijing during which he met Xi had raised hopes for international talks on ending Pyongyang’s nuclear weapons program.
Friday’s summit was also
expected to set the tone for a highly anticipated meeting between Kim and Trump, which could take place in late May or early June.
During a visit to Washington, German Chancellor Angela Merkel credited the “strength” of Trump’s position on North Korea in helping achieve the breakthrough in talks between the two Koreas.
“We Germans know only too well what it means after years of separation,” she said.
But Japan was more reserved on the outcome of the summit.
“I strongly hope North Korea will take concrete actions” in resolving the issue of its nuclear and missile programs and that of Japanese nationals abducted by Pyongyang, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said.