September 2018 inter-Korean summit

September 2018 inter-Korean summit
South Korea: 2018년 남북정상회담
North Korea: 2018년 북남수뇌상봉
September 18–20, 2018
Host country North Korea
Motto 평화, 새로운 미래
平和, 새로운 未來
(Peace, A New Future)
Venue(s) Pyongyang
Participants South Korea Moon Jae-in
North Korea Kim Jong-un
Website 2018 Inter-Korean Summit
September 2018 inter-Korean summit
South Korean name
Hangul 2018년 남북정상회담
Hanja 2018年 南北頂上會談
North Korean name
Chosŏn'gŭl 2018년 북남수뇌상봉
Hancha 2018年 北南首腦相逢

The September 2018 inter-Korean summit was the third inter-Korean summit in 2018.

On 13 August, the Blue House announced that South Korea's President plans to attend the third inter-Korean summit with leader Kim Jong-un at Pyongyang in September as expected. The agenda would be finding the strategy of the breakthrough in its hampered talks with the U.S. and solution for the denuclearization on the Korean Peninsula.[1][2][3] It was held for three days between September 18 and September 20.[4]

Overview

It would be the fifth inter-Korean summit after the Korean War of 1950–1953. North Korea is currently soliciting economic cooperation and results from South Korea at the upcoming inter-Korean summit on September.[5] North Korea's state media announced the agreement to hold the next inter-Korean summit in Pyongyang.[6]

Progress

It was announced on August 31 that South Korean President Moon Jae-In will send a special delegation to North Korea on September 5 to hold more nuclear talks and set up the date for the summit.[7][8][9] On September 5, 2018, South Korean National Security Advisor Chung Eui-yong, National Intelligence Service Director Suh Hoon and other delegates travelled to North Korea to hold a meeting with Kim Jong-un, where they arranged the summit and help rescue faltering nuclear diplomacy between the United States and North Korea.[10] It was then announced that the three-day summit would take place between September 18 and September 20.[11] South Korean officials have insisted that Kim Jong-un has set a proposed denuclearization timetable and is working with Trump to achieve this goal.[12]

September 18 (Day 1)

Moon Jae-in arriving at the Pyongyang International Airport

The summit began as scheduled on September 18.[13] On the first day, Moon Jae-in and his wife Kim Jung-Sook arrived at Pyongyang's Sunan International Airport, where they got a rousing reception, which featured a marchpast by the guard of honor and the Central Military Band of the Korean Peoples Army.[13] Kim Jong-un also greeted them and embraced Moon.[13] Kim and Moon also arrived at the summit in the same car.[13] Both also openly waved to an enthusiastic car parade.[13]

September 19 (Day 2)

Moon and Kim with the "Pyongyang Joint Declaration of September 2018"

In Pyongyang, an agreement titled the "Pyongyang Joint Declaration of September 2018" was signed by both Korean leaders[14] The agreement calls for the removal of landmines, guard posts, weapons, and personnel in the JSA from both sides of the North-South Korean border.[15][16][17] The agreement also called for the creation of joint military buffer zones.[17]

The DPRK agreed to dismantle their nuclear complex in the presence of international experts if the U.S. takes correlative action. [18]

Kim Jong-un also pledged to visit the South Korean capital of Seoul "in the near future."[19]

In front of a capacity crowd of 150,000,[20] Moon delivered a speech at Pyongyang's May Day Stadium calling for cultural unity and reunification of both Koreas.[20] Moon received a standing ovation and was the first ever South Korean leader to give a public address in North Korea.[21] At the same stadium, Moon, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and their wives attended the mass games performance of "The Glorious Country."[20][22]

September 20 (Day 3)

Kim and Moon at Heaven Lake of Mount Paektu

The leaders of the two Koreas visited Mount Paektu together.[20] Moon traveled from Pyongyang by plane to Samjiyon Airport near Mount Paektu where Kim arrived first to greet him.[20] They then rode vehicles to the mountain on the North Korean-Chinese border.[20] The leaders also rode together in a cable car to reach Heaven Lake, located in a crater atop the mountain's sacred volcano area.[23] Moon was the first South Korean President to visit Mount Baekdu.[24] After reaching the lake, Moon along with their wives, posed together in front of it for a picture.[23] The mountain's volcano and Heaven Lake is considered to be the most sacred sites in Korean mythology[25][26] and Kim's family has long identified themselves as the "Mount Paektu bloodline."[23][24] Before Moon returned to South Korea,[27] a stone marker was dedicated during a tree planting ceremony in Pyongyang to commemorate his trip to North Korea.[23]

Reactions

Chinese state media Xinhua greeted the decision of holding the next inter-Korea leaders' summit in Pyongyang. Xinhua expressed that the U.S. has had a vital impact on the "Korean Peninsula issue" and requested on Washington to play a more dynamic role in regional matters. Xinhua also viewed negatively the United States' North Korea policy with "maximum pressure" although Pyongyang has made efforts to "shut down" the Punggye-ri primary nuclear test site, return the remains of the U.S. soldiers from the Korean War, and stimulate negotiations between North and South.[28] On September 19, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang praised the meeting, stating that it produced positive effects easing military tensions, promoting peace talks and the progressing denuclearization process.[29]

Aftermath

Kim's visit to Seoul

It was announced that DPRK leader Kim Jong-un's visit to Seoul would occur in December 2018 based on the report from South Korea’s Yonhap news agency. [30]

The meeting during UN General Assembly

Moon Jae-in at UN members requests world to acknowledge ‘positively’ to Kim Jong-un’s ‘new choices’ to inspire denuclearisation. US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo earlier assembled with his North Korean counterpart Foreign Minister Ri Yong-ho in New York and announced that it's very positive gathering with DPRK during UNGA (General Assembly) to discuss upcoming Trump-Kim summit & next steps toward denuclearization of North Korea. [31]

Removal of landmines along DMZ

On October 1, 2018, North and South Korean military engineers began a 20 day removal process of landmines and other explosives planted across the Joint Security Area of the Korean Demilitarized Zone (DMZ).[32][33][34] The Joint Security Area, located near the shared border village of Panmunjom, will also undergo major changes following the demining as well.[33] It was also agreed that Arrowhead Hill would afterwards undergo demining by both North and South Korean forces and that they would also assist in searching for potential remains of missing soldiers.[35] Around 800,000 landmines were planted along these two regions since the division of Korea.[33]

Dismantling of Joint Security Area guard posts

Once the Joint Security Area is demined, the guard posts will cease to exist.[33]

Disarmament of Joint Security Area

The Joint Security Area will no longer be armed with weapons of any kind after it is demined as well.[33]

Withdrawal of Personnel

Any military personnel, regardless of their country, who is stationed at the Joint Security Area on either side of the border will be forced to withdraw when demining is complete.[36][37]

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Koreas to hold Pyongyang summit in September". Aug 13, 2018.
  2. ↑ "Kim's new look as Pyongyang summit confirmed". Aug 13, 2018.
  3. ↑ "South Korean leader to meet Kim Jong Un on his turf". Aug 13, 2018.
  4. ↑ "South Korea seeks to hold inter-Korean summit Sept. 18-20: reports". koreatimes.co.kr. 4 September 2018.
  5. ↑ "Fifth Inter-Korean Summit Scheduled for September 2018: What to Expect". Aug 21, 2018.
  6. ↑ "N. Korea's media report on agreement to hold inter-Korean summit". Aug 19, 2018.
  7. ↑ https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/asia_pacific/s-korean-envoy-to-travel-to-north-for-pre-summit-talks/2018/08/31/bbe2e1fe-acf3-11e8-9a7d-cd30504ff902_story.html?utm_term=.4b70f501d6fe
  8. ↑ hermesauto (31 August 2018). "South Korean President Moon Jae-in to send special envoy to North Korea next week". straitstimes.com.
  9. ↑ Johnson, Jesse (31 August 2018). "South Korean President Moon Jae-in to dispatch special envoy to North Korea next week" – via Japan Times Online.
  10. ↑ Dong-jin, Yun. "S. Korean envoys meet Kim to advance nuclear diplomacy". thecourierexpress.com.
  11. ↑ Miller, Steve. "North-South Korea Summit Set for Mid-September". voanews.com.
  12. ↑ Shin, Hyonhee. "North Korea's Kim sets denuclearization time line, prompting thanks..." reuters.com.
  13. 1 2 3 4 5 "North and South Korean leaders hug ahead of summit". newsweek.com. 18 September 2018.
  14. ↑ "North and South Korea just signed a major agreement. It may be bad news for Trump". vox.com.
  15. ↑ Press, Associated. "Koreas agreed to disarm border village". inquirer.net.
  16. ↑ Cho, Joohee; Kate Lee, Hakyung (September 19, 2018). "Moon, Kim sign agreement for North Korea to take further steps to denuclearize". ABC News. Retrieved October 2, 2018.
  17. 1 2 Lee, Wooyoung (September 19, 2018). "North, South Korea to halt military drills in border area". UPI. Retrieved October 2, 2018.
  18. ↑ "South Korea says North agrees to dismantle nuclear site — if US takes reciprocal action". abc.net.au. 19 September 2018.
  19. ↑ "North Korea's Kim Jong Un Says He Will Visit Seoul". National Public Radio. 19 September 2018.
  20. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "The Latest: Moon, Kim visit crater lake on Mount Paektu". newsobserver.com.
  21. ↑ "Moon Jae-in makes first ever public speech by South Korean leader in North". scmp.com.
  22. ↑ Press, ARIRANG NEWS. "VIDEO 2018 INTER-KOREAN SUMMIT PYEONGYANG MOON TO DELIVER SPEECH TO 150,000 PYEONGYANG CITIZENS". ARIRANG NEWS.
  23. 1 2 3 4 "The Latest: Moon, Kim visit crater lake on Mount Paektu". miamiherald.com.
  24. 1 2 CNN, Joshua Berlinger and Yoonjung Seo,. "Mount Paektu: Moon and Kim visit mythical mountain". cnn.com.
  25. ↑ Drake, Nadia (April 16, 2016). "Sacred Volcano in North Korea May Be Waiting to Blow". National Geographic. Retrieved September 22, 2018.
  26. ↑ Mark Edward Harris (2007). Inside North Korea. p. 117. Retrieved September 22, 2018.
  27. ↑ http://www.kurv.com/moon-returns-home-after-north-korea-trip/
  28. ↑ "Chinese state media endorses third inter-Korea summit". Aug 17, 2018.
  29. ↑ "The Latest: China welcomes Korean summit, supports talks". apnews.com.
  30. ↑ https://www.nst.com.my/world/2018/09/413796/kim-jong-un-visit-seoul-december
  31. ↑ "Moon urges UN to respond 'positively' to North Korea's 'new choices'". scmp.com.
  32. ↑ https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2018/10/01/north-south-korea-begin-removing-landmines-along-fortified-border/
  33. 1 2 3 4 5 https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-45704909
  34. ↑ https://www.cbsnews.com/news/north-korea-south-korea-removing-land-mines-dmz-panmunjom-arrow-head-hill/
  35. ↑ https://www.nytimes.com/2018/10/01/world/asia/koreas-land-mines-dmz.html
  36. ↑ https://thediplomat.com/2018/10/koreas-begin-land-mine-removal-at-joint-security-area-per-recent-military-agreement/
  37. ↑ https://www.nbcchicago.com/news/national-international/South-Korea-North-Korea-Removing-Mines-494759751.html
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