[Editorial] North Korea’s warm welcome a hopeful indication of commitment to peace

South Korean President Moon Jae-in and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un head toward the headquarters of the Workers Party of Korea in Pyongyang to begin their summit on Sept. 18. (photo pool)

South Korean President Moon Jae-in arrived in Pyongyang on Sept. 18 to engage in a historic summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un. Moon’s visit to North Korea comes 11 years after that of former President Roh Moo-hyun, making him the third South Korean president to set foot in the North.

This is also the first summit that Kim attended in Pyongyang. During the past inter-Korean summits held in Pyongyang, a perfunctory meeting with Kim Yong-nam, president of the Presidium of the Supreme People's Assembly of North Korea, was held on the first day, with the summit on the second day.

However, in this summit the two leaders met directly on day one to discuss substantive issues. This is the third meeting between Moon and Kim, which demonstrates that the two leaders have become closer. However, it also signifies that there is a lot to be discussed. As the current summit involves discussions on the crucial issues of achieving denuclearization and permanent peace on the Korean Peninsula, the whole world is watching with bated breath to see what the outcome will be.

The welcoming ceremony for Moon prepared by North Korea was grander than the ceremonies for previous South Korean presidents who visited the North, unprecedented in scale. This suggests that North Korea has put a lot of effort into this summit. Kim and his wife welcomed Moon in person at Pyongyang Sunan International Airport, a special reception that is not common for summits.

The two leaders embraced warmly and shook hands upon meeting. Moon shook hands with Pyongyang residents and bowed as a sign of respect, which was met with cheering and applause from North Korean locals. This scene was a clear demonstration that the two Koreas have become much closer than in the past.

In an unexpected move, the two heads of state sat in an open car as part of a parade on the way to the Paekhwawon Guest House. During the 2000 inter-Korean summit, the fact that President Kim Dae-jung and Chairman Kim Jong-il took the same car was a talking point, but this time the scenes of both leaders standing together and waving to the large welcoming crowd is a memorable reminder of the commitment to reconciliation and unity that both countries have shown.

The fact that the Korean Workers' Party Headquarters has been made available for the summit is also significant. Holding a summit in the building where Kim’s office is located adds to the formality of the occasion and is also a sign that North Korea is moving towards becoming a “normal” country again.

Amidst the welcoming fanfare, the world is looking closely at the substance of the summit. In particular, the biggest concern is whether a breakthrough can be made in the North Korea-US denuclearization talks. The two leaders likely have engaged in an in-depth discussion on this issue on the first day of the summit.

Directly before leaving for Pyongyang, Moon stated, “If this visit leads to the resumption of talks between the US and North Korea, that would already be very significant,” making it clear that this issue would be at the top of the agenda. Moon also demonstrated an air of expectancy in his introductory address at the summit, paying tribute to “Chairman Kim’s decision to open a new era.”

Kim also stated his thoughts going into the summit in his introductory address. “The historic meeting between North Korea and the US was thanks to President Moon,” he said. “This has helped to stabilize the situation in the region and paved the way for further progress.”

The US and the international community’s attention is largely focused on South Korea’s role in mediating the denuclearization talks. Prior to the summit, South Korean Minister of Foreign Affairs Kang Kyung-wha called US State Secretary Mike Pompeo on two consecutive days, demonstrating how seriously the US is treating the meeting. As Moon mentioned before departing, the goal of the summit is laying a foundation for “irreversible and permanent peace.”

Outcome of summit to determine whether or not Pompeo visits North Korea

A lasting peace regime on the Korean Peninsula is the first step towards allowing the two Koreas to take ownership of issues on the peninsula, and is also the path towards shared prosperity. In order to open up this path, Moon and Kim need to find a clear breakthrough in the North Korea-US denuclearization negotiations during the remainder of the summit. The success or failure of this summit will play a decisive role in determining a possible visit to North Korea by Pompeo, as well as the scheduling of a second North Korea-US summit meeting.

Of course, the remaining issues of developing inter-Korean relations and reducing military tensions are also of great importance. During the meeting between the two heads of state, the economists in the delegation will meet with Lee Yong-nam, a key North Korean playmaker in overseas cooperation, to discuss plans for boosting economic cooperation. Both countries appear hopeful that the visit by economic experts will lead to a great expansion in inter-Korean economic cooperation.

It is also hoped that an agreement is reached at this summit on specific measures for easing inter-Korean tensions. It appears that inter-Korean summits may become a regular occurrence, but in order to go beyond this it would be necessary for Kim to visit South Korea in turn. If Kim expresses an intention to visit South Korea in the near future, this summit would attain an even greater level of meaning.

The second between Moon and Kim was held on Sept. 19 at the Paekhwawon Guest House, and hopes are high that the two leaders maintain their focus and work together to add the finishing stroke to a new era of peace on the Korean Peninsula.

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