There will be no war on the Korean peninsula. Pyongyang and Seoul head for reconciliation, the leaders of North and South Korea have said at a press conference following the inter-Korean summit. Kim Jong-Un, the North Korean leader, stressed that the border shouldn’t divide people. In his turn, Moon Jae-in, the South Korean leader announced the start of complete denuclearization of the Korean peninsula. The leaders of North and South Koreas also signed a joint declaration following the summit.
Our special correspondent Darya Kozlova has the details.
The outcome of the summit is a genuine breakthrough. They went far beyond the most daring expectations. Before the summit, they said that the meeting itself was important that a joint declaration would be a roadmap, but the first phrases uttered by Moon Jae-in showed that the day would be historic for Korea. Kim Jong-Un said that he believed in the reunification of the two states. The memo indicates that the sides will seek a complete denuclearization of the Korean peninsula, which means that North Korea rejects nuclear weapons and that it will be impossible to deploy nuclear weapons in South Korea. Moreover, Kim Jong-Un stated: "We're one nation, one family, we can't be separated."
He expressed hope that the citizens of the two states will soon be able to freely cross the border between North and South Korea. Today the two leaders agreed to resume railway services between the two countries. Furthermore, the sides said that they would resume the dialogue within the Red Cross, and other humanitarian organizations, which would stop hostilities which could provoke a conflict on the ground or in the sea. Negotiations at all levels are about to start, including at the level of ministers and generals, to iron out existing military differences.
In addition, the declaration embraces something that few believed in. But it's still there. North and South Koreas agreed to shortly launch negotiations with China and the USA to replace the truce with the peaceful coexistence. In other words, since 1953, the Korean sides have still been at war. Only a truce was signed by North Korea and UN representatives. North and South Korea never signed a peace agreement to end the war. Now, 65 years since the war ended, it might be eventually signed. At least, the negotiations on it might start. It's noteworthy that millions of Koreans nationwide have followed the statements by Kim Jong-Un and Moon Jae-in.
After the opening statements as well as the very first phrases of Kim Jong-Un and Moon Jae-in they started to shout: "We're united! We're one nation!"
Moon Jae-in, president of South Korea: "Today, Kim Jong-Un and I agreed on a complete denuclearization of the peninsula. It's our common goal. There will be no more war on the Korean peninsula".
Kim Jong-Un, leader of North Korea: "We'll do our best to achieve our goals through cooperation. The agreements that were signed today in front of the whole world shouldn’t remain on paper like the previous ones".
There were some protests against the rapprochement with North Korea. But they are in minority. Opinion polls show that the vast majority of Koreans fully support the decision made at today's summit.
