Sunday, April 29, 2018

Historic Meeting Which Ushered in a New Era of National Reconciliation and Unity, 
Peace and Prosperity
Kim Jong Un, Supreme Leader of the Party, State and Army of the DPRK, Crosses Demarcation Line at Panmunjom for Inter-Korean Summit

Kim Jong Un, Chairman of the Workers’ Party of Korea and Chairman of the DPRK State Affairs Commission, came to Panmunjom on April 27 to hold the north-south summit meeting and talks.

Panmunjom was ablaze with ecstasy and hope unseen since the country’s division as it would greet a defining moment for the Korean nation’s reunification effort.

It seemed that the truce village, which has been at the centre of inter-Korean confrontation and hostility for many decades while witnessing all sorts of pain and suffering caused by national division, was about to bid farewell to the misfortune in the bright spring of April.

At 9:00 am, under the gaze of the Koreans at home and  abroad  and  the  international  community, Supreme Leader Kim Jong Un stepped out of the Panmun House accompanied by senior Party, government and military officials, and got there in front of the line demarcating the border of the north and the south.

South Korean President Moon Jae In also came to the line to greet the Supreme Leader who would visit the southern area to attend the summit meeting and talks.

The Supreme Leader warmly shook hands with the south Korean President and shared greetings.

He then crossed the demarcation line and had photographs taken with Moon Jae In against the background of the Panmun House of the DPRK side and the House of Freedom of the south side respectively.

The top leaders crossed the line back to the DPRK side and took another handshake before going back to the south.

As the first of its kind in the national history, the scene of their breaking down the forbidden line, the wall of division, by crossing over the demarcation line hand in hand has caused a stir all around the world.

Supreme Leader Kim Jong Un Greeted by Moon Jae In

Supreme Leader Kim Jong Un crossed the demarcation line of Panmunjom and, together with President Moon Jae In, headed for the House of Peace in the southern area.

Personages from both sides gave the two leaders a big hand in congratulation of their first step towards national reconciliation and unity.

South Korean children presented Supreme Leader Kim Jong Un with a bouquet of flowers.

The two leaders, escorted by a guard in traditional costume, walked towards where the south Korean honour guard was lining up.

A band of traditional instrumentalists led the way, playing cheerful music to enliven the mood.

Seen at the plaza in front of the House of Peace were a military band and the honour guard of the ground, navy and air forces, as well as the guard in traditional costume and the band of traditional instrumentalists.

When the two leaders mounted a platform, the head of the honour guard saluted them and the military band struck up a welcome tune.

The Supreme Leader, together with the south Korean President, reviewed the honour guard and the guard in traditional costume.

With the introduction from Moon Jae In, the Supreme Leader shook hands with each one of the south Korean figures.

Moon Jae In exchanged greetings with the officials from the north side.

The personages of both sides posed for a photograph with the two leaders at the centre.

Present from the north side were Kim Yong Nam, member of the Presidium of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Workers’ Party of Korea and president of the Presidium of the DPRK Supreme People’s Assembly; Ri Su Yong, Kim Yong Chol, Ri Yong Ho, Choe Hwi, Kim Yo Jong and Ri Son Gwon, officials of the WPK and the government; high-ranking military officials Ri Myong Su and Pak Yong Sik.

And from the south side were Im Jong Sok, presidential chief of staff, Jong Ui Yong, chief of the presidential office for national security, So Hun, director of the National Intelligence Service, unification minister Jo Myong Gyun, defence minister Song Yong Mu, foreign minister Kang Kyong Hwa, chairman Jong Kyong Du of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and Yun Yong Chan, senior secretary for public communication of the presidential secretariat.

Leaders Held Talks at House of Peace in Southern Area of Panmunjom

Talks were held between Supreme Leader Kim Jong Un and President Moon Jae In at the House of Peace in the southern area of Panmunjom.

Participating in the talks were Kim Yong Chol, vice-chairman of the Central Committee of the Workers’ Party of Korea, and Kim Yo Jong, first deputy department director of the WPK Central Committee, from the north side.

From the south side were Im Jong Sok, presidential chief of staff, and So Hun, director of the National Intelligence Service.

At the talks both sides exchanged candid and open-minded views on the improvement of north-south relations, peace making on the Korean peninsula, denuclearization of the peninsula and other matters of mutual concern.

Referring to the very meaningful meeting with Moon Jae In at Panmunjom, symbolic of national division and confrontation, Kim Jong Un said that such a meeting at this special place would constitute an occasion to bring hope and dream back to all the people.

Noting that he once again felt the sense of mission and duty before the nation to put an end to the history of division and confrontation and usher in a new era of peace and reunification, he said today he came here with the feeling of firing a signal flare at the starting point of writing the new history.

Moon Jae In said that it was fine as if congratulating today’s meeting, adding that Panmunjom has turned from a symbol of division into that of peace the moment Chairman Kim Jong Un of the State Affairs Commission crossed the demarcation line.

Expressing high respect to Kim Jong Un for making a bold decision which made today’s meeting possible, he said he hoped that such an open-hearted dialogue would continue so that confidence could be built.

Kim Jong Un and Moon Jae In reached a consensus of views on the agenda items of the talks, and agreed to meet each other any time in the future and hold sincere discussion on the crucial problems of the nation so as to carve out a new history of north-south relations wisely and to work together to promote the favourable trend towards peace, prosperity and reunification of the Korean peninsula.

Prior to the talks, Supreme Leader Kim Jong Un wrote on the visitors’ book of the House of Peace in commemoration of the summit meeting: A new history starts now. At the starting point of the history, an era of peace. Kim Jong Un, April 27, 2018.

He then posed for a photograph with Moon Jae In.

Leaders Hold Commemorative Tree-planting

Supreme Leader Kim Jong Un planted a pine tree, symbolic of “peace and prosperity”, together with President Moon Jae In at Panmunjom, once a land of confrontation and tension, in commemoration of their meeting.

They jointly mixed soil from Mts Paektu and Halla and poured water from the Taedong and Han rivers, prepared by the north and south sides, over the tree.

The Supreme Leader meaningfully suggested properly cultivating the hard-won trend of inter-Korean rapprochement with the tree as a token, out of a determination to sacrifice themselves like compost and soil that would fertilize it and cover its precious roots and to become the windbreak that protects it from rain and wind, and carve out the future with a concerted effort in a spirit as strong as the evergreen pine tree.

A commemorative plaque was erected beside the tree in the name of Supreme Leader Kim Jong Un and President Moon Jae In.

The two leaders unveiled the plaque.

The writing on the plaque reads: “Peace and prosperity are planted”

After the planting they had a photo taken against the background of the plaque and pine tree.

They also had a photo session with the accompanying officials.

After the commemorative tree planting they took a stroll while having a serious talk.

Kim Jong Un and Moon Jae In Sign Panmunjom Declaration

Supreme Leader Kim Jong Un and President Moon Jae In signed the Panmunjom Declaration on Peace, Prosperity and Reunification of the Korean Peninsula and exchanged the documents.

They had a photo taken in congratulation of the birth of the Panmunjom Declaration which reflects the unanimous aspiration and demand of the Korean nation and hugged each other warmly.

The signing ceremony was attended by Ri Su Yong and Kim Yong Chol, vice-chairmen of the Central Committee of the Workers’ Party of Korea, Kim Yo Jong, first deputy department director of the WPK Central Committee, Ri Son Gwon, chairman of the Committee for the Peaceful Reunification of the Country, and Jo Yong Won, deputy department director of the WPK Central Committee, from the DPRK side.

Also present were Im Jong Sok, presidential chief of staff, Jong Ui Yong, chief of the presidential office for national security, So Hun, director of the National Intelligence Service, unification minister Jo Myong Gyun, defence minister Song Yong Mu, foreign minister Kang Kyong Hwa, and Yun Yong Chan, senior secretary for public communication of the presidential secretariat, from the south side.

After the signing ceremony was over, the two leaders jointly released the Panmunjom Declaration.

The historic Panmunjom Declaration will mark a fresh turning point in relinking the severed blood vessel of the nation and hastening the future of co-prosperity and independent reunification by boosting inter-Korean relations in such an all-round and drastic way as to meet the unanimous aspiration and demand of all the fellow countrymen who are desirous of peace and reunification on the Korean peninsula.

President Moon Jae In Gives Dinner Party for Supreme Leader Kim Jong Un

President Moon Jae In hosted a dinner party at the House of Peace to welcome Supreme Leader Kim Jong Un’s tour of the south side.

Invited there were First Lady Ri Sol Ju, together with Kim Yong Nam, member of the Presidium of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Workers’ Party of Korea and president of the Presidium of the DPRK Supreme People’s Assembly, other senior Party and government officials including Ri Su Yong, Kim Yong Chol, Choe Hwi, Kim Yo Jong and Ri Son Gwon, and other members of the entourage.

Present from the south side were Im Jong Sok, presidential chief of staff, Jong Ui Yong, chief of the presidential office for national security, So Hun, director of the National Intelligence Service, unification minister Jo Myong Gyun, defence minister Song Yong Mu, foreign minister Kang Kyong Hwa, representatives of different political parties, those related to the previous inter-Korean summits and other personages.

As Ri Sol Ju arrived at the House of Peace, she was warmly welcomed by President Moon Jae In and his wife Kim Jong Suk.

Prior to the dinner, the Supreme Leader and his wife had a pleasant chat with the south Korean president and his wife, sharing their feelings.

The Supreme Leader and his wife expressed their heartfelt gratitude to Moon Jae In for giving such a sincere dinner party.

In front of the venue the Supreme Leader and the south Korean President, along with their wives, exchanged greetings with each of the north and south Korean officials.

As the leaders entered the venue, all the participants congratulated them on their successful Panmunjom summit with enthusiastic applause.

Moon Jae In first made a welcoming address at the party.

The Supreme Leader answered his speech.

The south side prepared various foods with special meanings and the DPRK side presented Pyongyang cold noodles of the Okryu Restaurant, leaving a deep impression on the participants.

The dinner party proceeded in an amicable atmosphere brimming with compatriotic feelings.

There were art performances during the party given by the artistes from the north and the south to congratulate the summit meeting and talks.

Supreme Leader Bids Farewell to South Korean President

Kim Jong Un, Chairman of the Workers’ Party of Korea and Chairman of the DPRK State Affairs Commission, wound up the north-south summit meeting and talks and bade farewell to south Korean President Moon Jae In.

As he and his wife, along with the south Korean President and his wife, came out of the House of Peace, senior officials of the north and the south burst into enthusiastic cheers and applause.

They climbed onto the outdoor platform to see a farewell performance “Spring of Oneness” prepared by the south side.

After the performance was over, the Supreme Leader and the south Korean President shook hands with each of the accompanying senior officials of the other side respectively to say goodbye.

They then held each other’s hand warmly and said their farewells with a promise of a new start.

The Supreme Leader left the House of Peace amid the send-off of the south Korean officials.

The historic Panmunjom summit is an expression of his ardent love for the nation and firm, independent will to build a reunified power, dignified and prosperous, on this land without fail by the concerted efforts of the nation.

The great exploits performed by the Supreme Leader, who has ushered in a turning point in the improvement of inter-Korean relations with the boundlessly ennobling love for the fellow countrymen and outstanding political acumen, will go down in the history of the nation’s effort for reunification.

No comments: