|
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...
|
The North and South Korean presidents met on April 27, 2018. The two world leaders have not met in over a decade. CNN reported the highlights of the internationally historic meeting in Korea.
North Korean President Kim Jong Un met with South Korean President Moon Jae-In at the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) that separates the two Far-Eastern nations. Kim crossed the Military Demarcation line and posed for the cameras. He then shook Moon’s hand and they momentarily crossed into the northern side of the line.
The two presidents took part in a symbolic tree planting ceremony. The tree was planted the year the armistice was signed in 1953, which defined the end of fighting during the Korean War.
The Washington Post reported that the DMZ has divided the peninsula for 65 years. Kim crossing the vital coordinate marks the political layout for his upcoming meeting with United States President Donald Trump.
The World Watched Korean Presidential Handshake
The historic moment was broadcast across the democratic nation to the south.
Teachers stopped their classed to let their students watch the televised and significant moment. Daily commuters also stopped in train stations to watch the immensely meaningful moment in the history of the peninsula.
Kim walked down the front steps of the Panmungak building dressed in his black Mao suit, which is his trademark. The concrete curb of the Panmungak building marks the northern side of the DMZ and the furthest point south in the country before reaching their southern neighbors.
Moon, with his hand outstretched, was waiting for him at the Panmungak building’s concrete curb or political barrier. The two, normally opposing, political leaders smiled and talked for several minutes.
Then Moon invited Kim to his nation’s side of the political barrier. After posing in front of several photographers he asked Moon to join him on the north side of the DMZ.
The United Nations Secretary-General stated that the international community is largely and emotionally awed by the powerful picture of the historic summit in Korea. CNN reported that the U.N. cheered the historical summit, as well.
Korea’s Decades-Long War to End
The two presidents agreed to end the long-lasting war on the peninsula.
The physical war lasted for three years; 1950-53. The conflict began when the North Korean People’s Army deployed soldiers to invade their neighbor to the south.
An armistice agreement was signed in 1953. Since a peace treaty was never formally signed, the north and south technically remained at war for over the next six decades.
The Telegraph reported that Kim and Moon reaffirmed their effort to remove the two leader’s nuclear weapons. They also agreed to advocate a three or four-way discussion with U.S. President Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping to write a peace treaty that will replace the armistice.
By John A. Federico
Edited by Cathy Milne
Sources:
CNN: A flashy show to wrap up a historic summit
The Washington Post: As Kim crosses into South Korea, a historic summit hangs on the North’s nuclear intentions
The Telegraph: Kim Jong-un and Moon Jae-in commit to Korean ‘peace regime’ to end nuclear conflict at historic summit
Featured and Top Image Courtesy of John Pavelka’s Flickr Page – Creative Commons License