Historic Meeting: Ending the Korean War and Welcoming an Age of Peace

[UPDATED on May 16, 2018: North Korea has suspended talks with South Korea and has warned the U.S. that they may cancel the meeting between U.S. president Donald Trump and the North Korean chairman Kim Jong-un, which is supposed to be held on June 12 in Singapore. This is because South Korea and the U.S. had “provocative” military drills which showed signs of threat towards the North. The South Korean government has said that they will endeavor to regain peace and continue the talks through consultations with the relevant ministries.]

North Korea Chairman Kim Jong Un: I’m glad to meet you. I’m so glad.

South Korea President Moon Jae-in: Was there any difficulty coming here?

Kim: Not at all.

Moon: It’s a pleasure to meet you.

Kim: Indeed, I’m so filled with excitement because of the meeting at this historic site. And I was moved that you have come all the way to receive me at the Military Demarcation Line at Panmunjom.

Moon: It was your bold and courageous decision that has allowed us to come this far.

Kim: No, no, not at all.

Moon: We have made a historic moment.

Kim: I am pleased to meet you.

Moon: Would you please stand to this side?

[Kim Jong-un crosses the border, becoming the first North Korean leader to walk on South Korean land since 1953.]

Moon: You have come to the south side, when will I be able to come to the North?

Kim: Maybe this is the right time for you to enter the North Korean territory.

[Moon Jae-in and Kim Jong-un cross the border and step on North Korean soil, and then go back to South Korea for their meeting.]

This heartfelt conversation above represents the first words shared by the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea’s (North Korea) chairman Kim Jong Un and Republic of Korea’s (South Korea) president Moon Jae-in when they met for the first time at Panmunjom or Peace House in the demilitarized zone (DMZ) on April 27, 2018. This historic moment was captured by a flock of reporters and journalists and was streamed live to the world. In the guestbook,  Kim wrote “a new history begins now” and “an age of peace, at the starting point of history.”

This summit was the result of months of diplomacy and interaction between North and South Korea. Ever since Moon Jae-in, an advocate for peace on the Korean peninsula, became the South Korean president last May, the perennial tense relationship between the two Koreas became significantly better compared to the past couple of years. The change of North Korea’s attitude towards reconciliation with South Korea was unexpected, considering that North Korea constantly threatened the U.S. and South Korea last year with its nuclear weapons. President Moon Jae-in played a key role in converting Kim Jong-un’s attitude towards North Korea’s denuclearization. Unlike the previous two presidents of South Korea who were members of the conservative party and halted communication with the North, Moon actively communicated with the North and established the stage for North Korea’s reconciliation with the South and the rest of the world.

Organizing the summit was done in well-planned, orderly steps at an appropriate pace. Prior to the summit, the diplomat of South Korea paid a visit to Kim Jong-un and discussed a meeting in January. Then, the head of unification administration in North Korea traversed the border to see President Moon. This back-and-forth passage of diplomats between the two countries ameliorated the relationship and allowed the chance for the leaders of each side to meet.

In the beginning of April, a special concert with the title “Coming of Spring” was held in Pyeongyang, the capital of North Korea. Here, the most famous singers and musicians from both North and South Korea came, performed in front of the North Korean people, and collaborated to convey the message of cultural harmony. After the concert, Kim Jong-un showed his gratitude and appreciation of the performances of South Korean musicians, meaning that the hard work of South Korea’s department of entertainment would not be in vain. After all these events, Kim and Moon agreed to meet on April 27, 2018 to discuss denuclearization, reconciliation, and the future of both Koreas.

The historic meeting lived up to the anticipation as it brought positive changes to the Korean peninsula. The most important of all is the official demise of the Korean War. An armistice was signed in 1953 to temporarily halt the war. This means that the war was never officially declared over, so even if North Korea attacked South Korea with missiles and spies (which they did in 2002 and other times), South Korea could not retaliate, due to the risk of starting WWIII in this era of globalization. Fortunately, after the summit,  the Korean War that went on for 65 years is finally over, bringing relief and joy to the Korean citizens.

Another positive change after the summit is Kim Jong-un’s decision to denuclearize his country. Before, in 2005, a pact was signed between the diplomats of two Koreas to denuclearize North Korea, but the pact was soon proven to be invalid as North Korea developed nuclear weapons. Why do experts deem Kim’s recent declaration to denuclearize to be sincere? The new treaty was signed directly by Kim Jong-un himself, and his promise was broadcast to the rest of the world. Breaking the promise would not only make him a charlatan, but would also cause all the hard work toward diplomacy and reconciliation to go to waste.

Finally, a breeze of peace began to blow on the Korean peninsula after the summit. Some elders of South and North Korea who experienced the war still live today with the painful, indelible memory and trauma. Furthermore, during the war, many families were separated while fleeing and even today, 65 years after the war, they remain separated, unable to see their beloved family members. Fortunately, this summit will bestow a valuable opportunity for those elders to meet each other and recolor their faded memories.

It may be too quick to say for certain that Korea has come to “an age of peace”. Kim Jong-un may recant his promise about North Korea’s denuclearization. The imminent meeting between Kim Jong-un and Donald Trump might go awry and beget more problems. Still, it is a certain that the relationship between North and South Korea is better than it has been for decades, and thus, the Korean citizens are hoping that the long-lasting conflict will not re-escalate on the Korean peninsula. Although the two Koreas have been separated for more than 60 years and have different flags, government systems, cultures, and dialects, one must keep in mind that the citizens of these two countries still have the same blood running through their veins.

For more information, please visit edition.cnn.com, edition.cnn.com, time.com, and cnbc.com.