By Jung Sung-ki
Staff Reporter
President Roh Moo-hyun Tuesday took a historic step across the heavily fortified border with North Korea in a symbolic move of reconciliation on his way for talks with North Korean leader Kim Jong-il in Pyongyang.
Roh became the first leader from either South or North Korea to cross the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) that has divided the two Koreas for over half a century.
The 248-kilometer-long, four-kilometer-wide DMZ was created after the 1950-53 Korean War, which ended in a truce, not a peace treaty, leaving the two Koreas technically still at war.
Exiting his bulletproof black Mercedes some 30 meters before the Military Demarcation Line (MDL) in the middle of the DMZ around 9 a.m., Roh and first lady Kwon Yang-suk walked a few casual steps toward a thick yellow line on the ground marking the MDL.
``I will make a brief comment here,'' said Roh, turning southward before making the historic crossing of the ``forbidden line'' televised worldwide, alongside Kwon. Roh appeared to be excited but somewhat nervous also.
``Now that I am standing here, I have mixed feelings,'' he said. ``I cannot see any line, but this invisible line has separated the Korean people for the past half century, serving as a barrier between us.''
``Now, I'm walking across this forbidden line as the President,'' Roh continued. ``After my return from the North, many more people will be able to travel back and forth between the two Koreas. This forbidden line will then gradually fade away.''
He expressed hope that his trip to North Korea will help break down the barrier, ease the suffering of the Korean people and pave the way for peace and prosperity on the Korean Peninsula.
Then, Roh walked some 30 meters across the MDL along with Kwon and 13 official delegates from the South.
The summit comes amid an upbeat mood in the six-party talks aimed at ending North Korea's nuclear ambitions. Nuclear envoys from the United States, the two Koreas, China, Japan and Russia struck a provisional agreement Sunday on the next phase of Pyongyang's denuclearization at talks in Beijing.
Upon crossing the border, Roh was greeted by a small group of North Korean officials, including Choe Sung-chol, vice director of the United Front Department of the North Korean Workers' Party.
Two North Korean women wearing badges showing their leader presented Roh with bouquets. ``Welcome, welcome,'' they told him.
``Nice to meet you,'' Roh and Kwon said, shaking hands with each of the North Korean officials and offered to pose for a picture.
After the brief photo session, the presidential couple boarded the presidential Mercedes to take the four-lane Pyongyang-Gaeseong highway to the North Korean capital, where the second inter-Korean summit is to take place.