Kim, Moon affirm to build peace on Korean Peninsula

Updated:7 years, 1 month ago

New Delhi, Sep 19 (ANI): North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and South Korean president Moon Jae-in on Tuesday agreed to continue their efforts to ensure long-lasting peace and prosperity on the Korean Peninsula. After the first day of the inter-Korean summit here, President Moon said at the banquet dinner, "The complete denuclearisation of the Korean Peninsula and the establishment of peace are key agenda items. There could be some challenges to this new approach. "But Chairman Kim and I have trust and friendship. This (peace and denuclearisation process) has just begun. We will be able to create a future nobody has experienced." On the other hand, Kim said that his meeting with President Moon would serve as a "historic chance" for the Korean people, who want to see the strengthening of inter-Korean relations and building peace on the peninsula, Yonhap News Agency reported. "This time, I and President Moon Jae-in will discuss various issues, related to following up with the Panmunjom Declaration, in a frank and open-minded manner," the North Korean leader remarked, while referring to the deal signed during their meeting in April in Panmunjom. During the start of the summit, Kim thanked President Moon for achieving a breakthrough in the talks between North Korea and the United States. The two Korean leaders are set to resume their talks on Wednesday. President Moon is scheduled to return to South Korea on Thursday, but his departure can be delayed for a friendship programme with Kim, which depends upon the outcome of the inter-Korean summit, according to officials. Earlier, President Moon arrived in Pyongyang, becoming the first South Korean head of state to visit North Korea in over a decade. Kim and his wife Ri Sol-ju received the South Korean president and his wife Kim Jung-sook at the airport. North and South Korea has also agreed to jointly host the 2032 Summer Olympics. This is the third meeting between President Moon and Kim. The two Korean leaders had first met at Panmunjom in the Demilitarised Zone (DMZ) in April, followed by the second meeting in May.