Moon hails US-North Korea summit agreement as 'historic milestone'

President Moon Jae-in on Friday hailed the agreed-upon summit between U.S. President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un as a "historic milestone" for peace on the Korean Peninsula.

Moon made the remark through his spokesman after Trump agreed to meet with the North's leader by May, accepting Kim's offer to meet as soon as possible. The envisioned meeting would be the first-ever between leaders of the two Cold War foes.

"The May meeting will be recorded as a historic milestone that realized peace on the Korean Peninsula," Moon said. "If President Trump and Chairman Kim meet following an inter-Korean summit, complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula will be put on the right track in earnest."

Moon also said he extends gratitude to Trump and Kim for their "courage and wisdom."

"In particular, the leadership of President Trump, who gladly accepted Chairman Kim's invitation, will receive praise not only from people in the South and the North, but also from people around the world," Moon said.

Moon said South Korea will try to make good use of this "opportunity that came like a miracle." (Yonhap)