By Bae Ji-sook
Staff Reporter
A monument to commemorate President Roh Moo Hyun's historical walk across the military demarcation line (MDL) in the inter-Korean border zone has been erected on the south end of the line.
The statue is next to the second gate just beyond the customs, immigration and quarantine (CIQ) office in Paju, northern Gyeonggi Province. It was first seen by the public through television footage showing Roh leaving his sedan at the Demilitarized Zone to head toward the MDL on his way to Pyongyang.
The presidential office said Tuesday that the installment was done on Monday with the president's handwritten inscription on it. On the 360-centimeter wide, 180-centimeter tall and 55-centimeter thick stone, there is a three-line message, ``The road to peace, the road to prosper. Oct. 2, 2007, President Roh Moo-hyun of The Republic of Korea.''
The monument is made of brightly colored Pocheon-produced stone, reflecting hopes for the future of the two Koreas resulting from the summit.
"It has been erected to mark the first-ever crossing of the MDL on foot by a South Korean president since the division of the Korean Peninsula. The message shows the president's commitment to the summit," Kim Jeong-sup, a spokesman for Roh, said.
bjs@koreatimes.co.kr
1 | Authorities probe Telegram channel claiming to ‘sell’ technology of fighter jet, helicopter |
