Smiles, laughs as Kim, Moon enter new era of Korean harmony
WITH a single step over a weathered, cracked slab of concrete, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un made history yesterday by crossing over the world’s most heavily armed border to greet South Korean President Moon Jae-in for talks on North Korea’s nuclear weapons.
Mr Kim then invited Mr Moon to cross briefly back into the north with him before they returned to the southern side.
Those small steps must be seen in the context of the last year — when the United States, its ally South Korea and the North seemed at times to be on the verge of nuclear war as the North unleashed a torrent of weapons tests — but also in light of the long, destructive history of the rival Koreas, who fought one of the 20th century’s bloodiest conflicts and even today occupy a divided peninsula that’s still technically in a state of war.
“I feel like I’m firing a flare at the starting line in the moment of (the two Koreas) writing a new history in NorthSouth relations, peace and prosperity,” Mr Kim told Mr Moon as they sat at a table, which had been built so that exactly 2018 millimetres separated them, to begin their closed-door talks.
Mr Moon responded that there were high expectations that they produce an agreement that will be a “big gift to the entire Korean nation and every peace-loving person in the world”.
Beyond the carefully choreographed greeting, however, it’s still not clear whether the leaders can make any progress in talks on the nuclear issue, which has bedevilled US and South Korean officials for decades.
North Korea’s nuclear and missile tests last year likely put it on the threshold of becoming a legitimate nuclear power.
North Korea claims it has already risen to that level.
Mr Kim acknowledged the widespread scepticism: “We have reached big agreements before but were unable to fulfil them . . . there are sceptical views on whether the meeting today will yield meaningful results,” he said.
“If we maintain a firm will and proceed forward hand in hand, it will be impossible at least for things to get worse than they are now.”
The leaders had “sincere, candid” talks on the denuclearisation of the Korean Peninsula and were working on the wording of a joint statement, according to Mr Moon’s spokesman, Yoon Youngchan.
They also discussed ways to establish peace on the Korean Peninsula and improve ties.
Mr Kim and Mr Moon in their talks vowed to have more meetings, Mr Yoon said, with Mr Kim joking that he would make sure not to interrupt Mr Moon’s sleep anymore, a reference to the North’s drumbeat of early morning missile tests last year.
Mr Kim also referred to a South Korean island that North Korea attacked with artillery in 2010, killing four, saying the residents of Yeonpyeong Island who have been living in fear of North Korean artillery have high hopes the summit will help heal past scars.