In a dramatic watershed moment, Kim Jong Un, the leader of North Korea, walked across the border on Friday to meet with South Korea’s President Moon Jae-in. The two leaders then signed the Panmunjom Declaration for Peace, Prosperity and Unification on the Korean Peninsula, committing to “complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula”.
The three-year war between North and South Korea ended in 1953 with an armistice though no formal peace treaty was signed and according to some opinion are still technically at war. The document signed on Friday called for the two countries to “actively cooperate to establish a permanent and solid Peace regime on the Korean peninsula”. A timeline was established in which they agreed to sign a treaty by the end of the year to formally end the Korean War.
Kim Jong Un stepped over the demilitarized zone into South Korea and shook hands with the Soth Korean President. In a gesture that was not planned was an invitation by Kim Jong Un for PresidentMoon Jae-in to step into North Korea. After a moment’s hesitation, he did. In their first meeting in ten years, the two leaders embraced and planted a tree together in symbolic gestures. The meeting ended with a formal dinner. Another meeting has been scheduled in Pyongyang, the capital of North Korea, in the fall.
US President Trump expressed his pleasure with the meeting by posting twin tweets.
KOREAN WAR TO END! The United States, and all of its GREAT people, should be very proud of what is now taking place in Korea!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 27, 2018
After a furious year of missile launches and Nuclear testing, a historic meeting between North and South Korea is now taking place. Good things are happening, but only time will tell!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 27, 2018
