North And South Korea Agree To Pursue Peace And Denuclearisation In Historic Meet

In a historic first, leaders of North and South Korea met yesterday (27 April) to discuss among many things, a peace agreement, denuclearisation and possibly a formal end to the 1950 Korean War. No peace treaty was signed in 1953, thereby resulting in both countries still being at a state of war against each other.

North Korean Supreme Leader Kim Jong-un met South Korean President Moon Jae-In at the Korean Demilitarized Zone for an eight and a half hour meeting after which a joint statement – the Panmunjon Declaration – was issued that called for inter-Korea liaison and the resumption of reunions of families who were separated by the war.

The meeting received positive response globally with United States President Donland Trump tweeting out that good things were happening.

The meeting was the first time when a North Korean leader entered the South. Both leaders shook hands and posed for the press on either side of the border.

While both nations are not legally in a position to replace the armistice agreement on their own due it it being signed between China, North Korea, and the United States-led United Nations, they have agreed to restart talks with Beijing and Washington to resolve the matter and bring in a permanent settlement.

Incoming United States Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said that he was serious about Kim and Moon reaching a deal.

However, the main part of the discussion – denuclearisation – was for most part left out of the statement, possibly keeping in mind the upcoming meetings between Kim and Trump.