May 2018 inter-Korean summit

The May 2018 inter-Korean summit was the second inter-Korean summit in 2018. On 26 May, North Korean state chairman Kim Jong Un and South Korean president Moon Jae-in met again in the joint Security Area, this time on the North Korean side in the Inter-Korean Peace House in the Unification Pavilion.[1][2] The meeting took two hours, and unlike other summits it had not been publicly announced beforehand.[3] Photos released by South Korea's presidential office showed Moon arriving at the northern side of the Panmunjom truce village and shaking hands with Kim's sister, Kim Yo-jong, before sitting down with Kim for their summit. Moon was accompanied by Suh Hoon, Director of the National Intelligence Service of South Korea, while Kim was joined by Kim Yong-chol, a former military intelligence chief who is now a vice chairman of the North Korean ruling party's central committee tasked with inter-Korean relations. The meeting was largely centered around North Korean leader Kim Jong Un's upcoming summit with US President Donald Trump.[2] Kim and Moon also embraced before Moon returned to South Korea.[2] On 27 May, Moon stated in a public address that he and Kim agreed to meet again at "anytime and anyplace" without any formality and that the North Korean leader once again pledged to denuclearize the Korean Peninsula in accordance with the Panmunjom Declaration.[4]

May 2018 inter-Korean summit
South Korea: 2018년 남북정상회담
North Korea: 2018년 북남수뇌상봉
← April 2018 inter-Korean summit 26 May 2018 September 2018 inter-Korean summit →
Moon Jae-in and Kim Jong-un shaking hands
Host countryNorth Korea
Motto평화, 새로운 시작
平和, 새로운 始作
(Peace, A New Start)
Venue(s)Unification Pavilion
ParticipantsNorth Korea Kim Jong Un
South Korea Moon Jae-in
Website2018 Inter-Korean Summit
May 2018 inter-Korean summit
South Korean name
Hangul2018년 남북정상회담
Hanja2018年 南北頂上會談
Transcriptions
Revised Romanization2018nyeon Nambuk Jeongsang-hoedam
McCune–Reischauer2018nyŏn Nambuk Chŏngsang-hoedam
North Korean name
Chosŏn'gŭl2018년 북남수뇌상봉
Hancha2018年 北南首腦相逢
Transcriptions
Revised Romanization2018nyeon Bungnam Sunoe-sangbong
McCune–Reischauer2018nyŏn Pungnam Sunoe-sangbong

Agenda

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Moon and Kim talking at the summit

The two leaders of North and South Koreas exchanged their opinions about the issues and solutions for the Trump–Kim summit,[2] as Trump abruptly cancelled the upcoming US–North Korea summit on 12 June. The principal agenda of the meeting was trying to get the US summit back on track and keep progressing the denuclearization talks.[5]

Meeting

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The second 2018 summit was established by Kim Jong Un's suggestion within a whirlwind 24 hour notice,[2] but Moon Jae-in accepted Kim's invitation [3] as per the critical nuclear agenda between North and South Korea. Moon had expressed his belief, and he discussed with Kim Jong Un about Kim's willingness to join nuclear interventions with Trump.[5] Moon and Kim agreed to also convene inter-Korean high-level talks on 1 June, to be followed by talks between military authorities to ease military tensions and Red Cross talks for the reunion of separated families.[4] Both leaders also agreed to accelerate the implementation of the Panmunjom Declaration and meet again at "anytime and anyplace" without formality.[4]

Aftermath

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During the 1 June meeting, officials from both countries agreed to move forward with the military and Red Cross talks.[6] Both Koreas also agreed to reopen a liaison office located within a factory park in Kaesong which had been jointly operated by the countries as an economic zone until the South shut it down in February 2016 after a North Korean nuclear test.[6] The first talks involving the Red Cross and military were then held at North Korea's Mount Kumgang resort on 22 June 2018 and during the talks, it was agreed that family reunions which had been cancelled in 2015 would resume between 20 and 26 August 2018.[7]

The first family unions since the end of the Korean War then took place on 20 August when about 330 South Koreans from 89 families, many in wheelchairs, embraced 185 separated relatives from the North at the Mount Kumgang resort, also known as Diamond Mountain.[8][9] South Korean members of these families returned home on August 22.[10] Between August 24 and August 26, a second round of family reunions occurred when a total of 326 South Koreans from 81 families traveled to Mount Kumgang to meet nearly 100 of their long-separated relatives from the North.[11][12] On 14 September, the Inter-Korean Liaison Office opened at the Kaesong park location.[13][14]

September 2018 Summit

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On 13 August, it was announced that a third 2018 inter-Korean summit would be held in the North Korean capital of Pyongyang in September.[15] The meeting is designed to capitalize on what was accomplished at the previous two summits.[16] Ri Son-gwon, the head of the North Korean delegation, told reporters that a specific date for the summit was already set, but that they wanted to "keep reporters wondering."[16] It was announced on 31 August that Moon would send a special delegation to North Korea on 5 September to hold more nuclear talks and set up the summit.[17] The delegation arrived in North Korea as scheduled.[18] It was determined that the summit would be held for three days and would take place between 18 and 20 September.[19] The summit was officially held on the scheduled dates.

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Ji-eun, Kim (28 May 2018). "Moon and Kim reaffirm commitment to Panmunjeom Declaration". The Hankyoreh. Retrieved 5 August 2018.
  2. ^ a b c d e "North, South Korea meet for surprise second summit". syracuse.com. Associated Press. 26 May 2018. Retrieved 12 June 2018.
  3. ^ a b "North and South Korean leaders hold surprise meeting". CNN. 26 May 2018. Retrieved 26 May 2018.
  4. ^ a b c "Full address by South Korean President Moon Jae In on May 26 inter-Korea summit". The Straits Times. 27 May 2018. Retrieved 17 August 2018.
  5. ^ a b "North and South Korean leaders hold surprise meeting in DMZ to get U.S. summit back on track". Chicago Tribune. 26 May 2018. Retrieved 29 July 2018.
  6. ^ a b "Rival Koreas agree to military, Red Cross talks for peace". CNBC. 1 June 2018. Retrieved 17 August 2018.
  7. ^ "North and South Korea confirm family reunions will resume in August for the first time since 2015". South China Morning Post. 22 June 2018. Retrieved 17 August 2018.
  8. ^ "Families in North and South Korea reunited for first time since Korean War". CBS News. Associated Press. 20 August 2018.
  9. ^ Hyonhee Shin (19 August 2018). "Joy, disbelief as Korean families separated by war meet after 65 years". Reuters.
  10. ^ Griffiths, James; Yoonjung Seo; Hancocks, Paula (22 August 2018). "Tearful goodbyes as Koreans return home after short reunions with separated family members". CNN.
  11. ^ "Reunion of families separated by Korean War concludes". EFE. EFE-EPA. 26 August 2018.
  12. ^ "Tearful reunions for separated Korean families". Reuters. 28 August 2018.
  13. ^ "Two Koreas open joint liaison office in North". The Korea Herald. 14 September 2018.
  14. ^ "(4th LD) Koreas open joint liaison office in Kaesong". Yonhap News Agency. 14 September 2018. Archived from the original on 25 October 2018.
  15. ^ "Third inter-Korean summit designed to create breakthrough in stalemate". The Hankyoreh. 13 August 2018. Retrieved 17 August 2018.
  16. ^ a b "Rival Korea leaders to meet in Pyongyang in September". Associated Press. 13 August 2018. Retrieved 17 August 2018.
  17. ^ Hyung-Jin Kim (31 August 2018). "S. Korean envoy to travel to North for pre-summit talks". The Washington Post. Associated Press. Archived from the original on 31 August 2018. Retrieved 2 September 2018.
  18. ^ Yun Dong-jin (5 September 2018). "S. Korean envoys meet Kim to advance nuclear diplomacy". The Courier Express. Associated Press. Archived from the original on 6 September 2018. Retrieved 7 September 2018.
  19. ^ Ko Dong-hwan (4 September 2018). "South Korea seeks to hold inter-Korean summit Sept. 18-20: Reports". The Korea Times.
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