Interaction between first ladies is itself historic South Korean first lady Kim Jung-sook, second from right, and her counterpart Ri Sol-ju, talk on their way to the Kim Won Gyun University of Music in Pyongyang, Tuesday. The first ladies toured North Korean facilities for two consecutive days on the sidelines of the third inter-Korean summit that ends today. / Joint Press CorpsBy Park Ji-wonThe two Koreas' first ladies, who have been somewhat overshadowed by their husbands, took to the main stage of diplomacy on the sidelines of the third inter-Korean summit, seemingly building a special rapport. For two consecutive days, South Korea's Kim Jung-sook and her counterpart Ri Sol-ju jointly toured North Korean facilities without their husbands.Since President Moon Ja-in and his wife arrived at the North Korean capital's airport and were greeted by North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and his spouse, the first ladies paired up and have mostly been seen together. On the second day of the visit, Wednesday, the first ladies planned to the Mangyongdae School Children's Palace art school, while their husbands had a closed-door meeting and signed a Sep 19, 2018By Park Ji-won
Over 50,000 people petition for punishing 'no-show' southern politicians in North Korea Leaders of the three liberal parties of South Korea, including head of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea Lee Hae-chan, meet with Kim Yong-nam, the ceremonial leader of North Korea and president of the Presidium of the Supreme People's Assembly at Mansudae National Assembly Hall. Joint Press Corps.By Jung Da-min, Joint Press CropsSEOUL/PYONGYANG ― Over 50,000 people had signed a petition on the Cheong Wa Dae website as of Wednesday night criticizing the “no-show” of three party chiefs for a meeting with North Korean officials on the sidelines of the Pyongyang inter-Korean summit.Lee Hae-chan of the ruling Democratic Party of Korea (DPK), Chung Dong-young of the Party for Democracy and Peace (PDP) and Lee Jeong-mi of the Justice Party were supposed to meet Kim Yong-nam, the North's president of the Presidium of the Supreme People's Assembly (SPA) on Tuesday.But because South Korean ministers including Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha and Unification Minister Cho Myong gyon did not attend the talks between President Moon Jae-in and North Korea's leader Kim Jong-un, SPSep 19, 2018
Kim Jong-un projects leadership through humble speech North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, right, gestures as he welcomes President Moon Jae-in and first lady Kim Jung-sook to the Paekhwawon Guest House, in Pyongyang, Tuesday. Joint Press CorpsBy Kwak Yeon-sooNorth Korean leader Kim Jong-un once again projected a candid and humble image by publicly acknowledging his country's shortcomings unlike his father Kim Jong-il, who spent his lifetime promoting the image of a “socialist paradise.” At the Paekhwawon Guesthouse where President Moon Jae-in and first lady Kim Jung-sook are staying during their three-day trip, the North Korean leader apologized to the President for having him stay at “a shabby place compared to hotels in developed countries.” In late April, Kim unexpectedly cried over his country's poor infrastructure and advised President Moon to fly to North Korea in September because the nation's roads were in bad shape.According to analysts, Kim appears deferential partly because the young leader wants to project himself as a frank and open-minded leader unlike his stoic father. His attempt to break through isoSep 19, 2018By Kwak Yeon-soo
Kim Yo-jong busy assisting two leaders By Kim Hyun-bin Kim Yo-jong, the younger sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, has been seen alongside her brother and South Korean President Moon Jae-in at almost all of the two leaders' meetings. She was constantly accompanying Kim Jong-un and also arranging and monitoring scheduled ceremoniesAt Sunan International Airport in Pyongyang, Kim conducted a last minute check for a welcoming ceremony for Moon one-and-a-half hours before his arrival.An hour later, she could be seen walking around the event venue. Wearing a black suit with a handbag and a smartphone in one hand, she walked across the red carpet and checked the lineup of troops and the North Koreanswho were part of the welcoming crowd.After Moon deplaned, she followed closely behind him and first lady Kim Jung-sook, holding flowers for the first lady who received them from two young girls.She also went to the Paekhwawon Guest House, where the President and first lady are staying, to check on preparations.Many experts say Kim Yo-jongis one of Kim Jong-un's closest aides and an influential figure in the regime. She holdsSep 19, 2018By Kim Hyun-bin
North Korea's Rodong Sinmun devotes five out of six pages to Moon's visit The front page of Rodong Sinmun's Wednesday edition features North Korea's leader Kim Jong-un and his wife Ri Sol-ju receiving South Korea's President Moon Jae-in and first lady Kim Jung-sook at the Pyongyang Sunan International Airport, Tuesday. Rodong-Yonhap.By Jung Da-minAbout 100,000 Pyongyang citizens turned out to welcome South Korean President Moon Jae-in to the North Korean capital for his three-day summit with North Korea's leader Kim Jong-un, the Rodong Sinmun reported. The Workers' Party mouthpiece devoted five out of six pages of its Wednesday edition to covering the first inter-Korean summit in Pyongyang in 11 years, presenting 37 photos of the event's moments.The North's Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) also reported on the path the two leaders took from the Pyongyang Sunan International Airport to Paekhwawon State Guesthouse, elaborating on the reception citizens along the road gave to the motorcade.The meeting of first ladies of the two Koreas was highlighted in the North's media. It was the first such meeting, not just between the Koreas but the first between the NoSep 19, 2018
Conservatives call for practical results from Moon-Kim summit Main conservative Liberty Party of Korea (LKP) members watch the live broadcast of President Moon Jae-in arriving at the Pyongyang Sunan International Airport for a summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, at the LKP's National Assembly headquarters, Tuesday. YonhapBy Jung Da-minSouth Korea's main conservative Liberty Korea Party (LKP) says President Moon Jae-in should settle for nothing less than actual results on the North Korean nuclear issue."The summit should result in a great achievement in accelerating the complete denuclearization of North Korea," the party's spokesman Rep. Yoon Young-seok said Tuesday."Denuclearization of North Korea is a national desire to achieve for the safety of the people of the Republic of Korea and for the sake of national security."The LKP also said Moon's visit to the North should not be limited to achieving a resumption of talks between North Korea and the U.S., on which the President said he would focus.Meanwhile, North Korea's propaganda websites, including DPRK Today, Uriminzokkiri and Arirangmeari, on the same day published articles lambastSep 19, 2018
North Korea could have purpose for hospitality shown to Moon President Moon Jae-in and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un pose for photographs with the joint statement in Pyongyang, North Korea, Wednesday. Joint Press Corps/ReutersBy Kim Yoo-chul, Joint Press CorpsSEOUL/PYONGYANG ― President Moon Jae-in is in Pyongyang, the capital city of North Korea, for a three-day summit with Kim Jong-un. The North Korean people just can't seem to get enough of Moon.The North's Kim greeted Moon with a warm embrace, handshake, hug and a military band in addition to a rapturous welcome from a cheering crowd at the Sunan International Airport as Moon stepped off the presidential plane at the airport.A red carpet was ready. Moon reviewed a North Korean honor guard for 15 minutes. Throngs of people waited for Moon's arrival to the North Korean capital with people lining the main streets of Pyongyang everywhere he went on the first day there. Clean streets and some skyscrapers were seen as the motorcade passed Ryomyong Street, a new residential district for middle-class residents opened last year under Kim's initiative to modernize the city.The huge excitement in NSep 19, 2018By Kim Yoo-chul
Cable channel on North Korea to be launched next year A new cable channel specializing in North Korea will be launched early next year, its promoter said Wednesday.It will feature North Korean society, culture, tourism and food and will produce programs for the unification of the two Koreas, its preparatory committee, led by Korean-American journalist Jin Cheon-gyu, said in a news conference in Seoul.Jin has visited North Korea several times for news coverage. Former Unification Minister Jeong Se-hyun and former National Intelligence Service chief Lee Jong-chan are among its advisors. (Yonhap)Sep 19, 2018
Two Korean leaders to visit Mount Paektu Mount Paektu / AFPBy Ko Dong-hwan, Joint Press CorpsSEOUL/PYONGYANG – South Korean President Moon Jae-in and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un agreed Wednesday to visit Mount Paektu the following day.South Korean presidential office Cheong Wa Dae released the news that Kim proposed the idea of visiting the highest peak of the peninsula and Moon accepted it.The fresh agenda of the pair’s third three-day summit came after the pair faced the world earlier Wednesday with their newly signed Pyongyang Peace Agreement with which two Koreas promised to build the peninsula nuclear-free and blossoming with stronger ties. Sep 19, 2018
Two Koreas agree to expand DMZ The two Koreas agreed Wednesday to set maritime, air and ground buffer zones in front-line areas as part of efforts to reduce military tensions, prevent accidental clashes and build trust.They also agreed to halt military drills near the military demarcation line (MDL), withdraw some border guard posts, disarm the Joint Security Area in the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) and jointly excavate war remains in the buffer zone.These measures are included in the agreement that Defense Minister Song Young-moo and his North Korean counterpart, No Kwang-chol, signed after the Pyongyang summit between President Moon Jae-in and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.The agreement is part of efforts to flesh out the military part of the April inter-Korean summit accord that calls for halting "all hostile acts" against each other and "practically eliminate the danger of war."A joint military committee will be operated to check the enforcement of the agreement."(The two sides) have decided to completely halt all hostile acts in all spaces, land, sea and air, and agreed on concrete measures to implement the decSep 19, 2018
