Jason Ditz / AntiWar.com & Full Text of Joint Declaration Issued at Inter-Korean Summit – 2018-04-29 00:36:19
North and South Korea Agree
To Work Toward Peace, No Nukes
Common goals include ending Korean War within a year
Jason Ditz / AntiWar.com
“South and North Korea confirmed the common goal of realizing, through complete denuclearization, a nuclear-free Korean Peninsula.”
(April 27, 2018) — Friday’s summit between North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and South Korean President Moon Jae-in looks to have been a dramatic success. The talks culminated in agreements to work together toward denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula, and to pursue a deal with the United States formally ending the Korean War.
The Korean War began in 1950, and an armistice was signed in 1953. No peace deal to end the war ever happened, however. The two nations agreed in their joint goals to try to finalize an ending to the war within the next year. This would end generations of war, and greatly calm tensions in the region.
An upcoming Kim-Trump summit, planned for either late May or early June, is expected to focus heavily on eliminating nuclear weapons from the Korean Peninsula. North Korea has a small nuclear arsenal, and while South Korea does not, they have at times hosted US nuclear arms.
These were the goals always expected to be discussed at Friday’s historic summit. Ending the Korean War was always seen as a complicated matter that’s going to take a lot of extra discussions to work out. Today’s announcement, however, shows both sides are committed to it. Kim confirmed at the end of the summit that the war is “over” and that a new era of peace has begun.
Specifics still need to be worked out, including the presumptive dismantling of the demilitarized zone (DMZ) and normalization of relations. This includes the possibility of having actual borders and the ability of Koreans to visit relatives on either side of the border. All this will be sorted out in additional talks over the next year.
Compared to this, denuclearization may be a lot more straightforward. The big issue to be sorted out there is for North Korea to be assured they won’t be attacked by the US once they give up their nuclear deterrent.
With South Korea on board for the pact, this seems readily achievable, to the point that North Korea is no longer even seeking a US withdrawal of troops from South Korea.
Full Text of Joint Declaration
Issued at Inter-Korean Summit
Yonhap News
PANMUNJOM (April 27, 2018) — The following is an unofficial translation of the full text of a joint declaration signed and issued by South Korean President Moon Jae-in and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un at the end of their bilateral summit held Friday at the Joint Security Area of Panmunjom inside the heavily-fortified Demilitarized Zone that divides the two Koreas.
Panmunjeom Declaration for Peace,
Prosperity and Unification of the Korean Peninsula
During this momentous period of historical transformation on the Korean Peninsula, reflecting the enduring aspiration of the Korean people for peace, prosperity and unification, President Moon Jae-in of the Republic of Korea and Chairman Kim Jong Un of the State Affairs Commission of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea held an Inter-Korean Summit Meeting at the ‘Peace House’ at Panmunjeom on April 27, 2018.
The two leaders solemnly declared before the 80 million Korean people and the whole world that there will be no more war on the Korean Peninsula and thus a new era of peace has begun.
The two leaders, sharing the firm commitment to bring a swift end to the Cold War relic of longstanding division and confrontation, to boldly approach a new era of national reconciliation, peace and prosperity, and to improve and cultivate inter-Korean relations in a more active manner, declared at this historic site of Panmunjeom as follows:
1. South and North Korea will reconnect the blood relations of the people and bring forward the future of co-prosperity and unification led by Koreans by facilitating comprehensive and groundbreaking advancement in inter-Korean relations. Improving and cultivating inter-Korean relations is the prevalent desire of the whole nation and the urgent calling of the times that cannot be held back any further.
(A) South and North Korea affirmed the principle of determining the destiny of the Korean nation on their own accord and agreed to bring forth the watershed moment for the improvement of inter-Korean relations by fully implementing all existing agreements and declarations adopted between the two sides thus far.
(B) South and North Korea agreed to hold dialogue and negotiations in various fields including at high level, and to take active measures for the implementation of the agreements reached at the Summit.
(C) South and North Korea agreed to establish a joint liaison office with resident representatives of both sides in the Gaeseong region in order to facilitate close consultation between the authorities as well as smooth exchanges and cooperation between the peoples.
(D) South and North Korea agreed to encourage more active cooperation, exchanges, visits and contacts at all levels in order to rejuvenate the sense of national reconciliation and unity. Between South and North, the two sides will encourage the atmosphere of amity and cooperation by actively staging various joint events on the dates that hold special meaning for both South and North Korea, such as June 15, in which participants from all levels, including central and local governments, parliaments, political parties, and civil organizations, will be involved.
On the international front, the two sides agreed to demonstrate their collective wisdom, talents, and solidarity by jointly participating in international sports events such as the 2018 Asian Games.
(E) South and North Korea agreed to endeavor to swiftly resolve the humanitarian issues that resulted from the division of the nation, and to convene the Inter-Korean Red Cross Meeting to discuss and solve various issues including the reunion of separated families. In this vein, South and North Korea agreed to proceed with reunion programs for the separated families on the occasion of the National Liberation Day of August 15 this year.
(F) South and North Korea agreed to actively implement the projects previously agreed in the 2007 October 4 Declaration, in order to promote balanced economic growth and co-prosperity of the nation. As a first step, the two sides agreed to adopt practical steps towards the connection and modernization of the railways and roads on the eastern transportation corridor as well as between Seoul and Sinuiju for their utilization.
2. South and North Korea will make joint efforts to alleviate the acute military tension and practically eliminate the danger of war on the Korean Peninsula. Alleviating the military tension and eliminating the danger of war is a highly significant challenge directly linked to the fate of the Korean people and also a vital task in guaranteeing their peaceful and stable lives.
(A) South and North Korea agreed to completely cease all hostile acts against each other in every domain, including land, air and sea, that are the source of military tension and conflict. In this vein, the two sides agreed to transform the demilitarized zone into a peace zone in a genuine sense by ceasing as of May 1 this year all hostile acts and eliminating their means, including broadcasting through loudspeakers and distribution of leaflets, in the areas along the Military Demarcation Line.
(B) South and North Korea agreed to devise a practical scheme to turn the areas around the Northern Limit Line in the West Sea into a maritime peace zone in order to prevent accidental military clashes and guarantee safe fishing activities.
(C) South and North Korea agreed to take various military measures to ensure active mutual cooperation, exchanges, visits and contacts. The two sides agreed to hold frequent meetings between military authorities, including the Defense Ministers Meeting, in order to immediately discuss and solve military issues that arise between them. In this regard, the two sides agreed to first convene military talks at the rank of general in May.
3. South and North Korea will actively cooperate to establish a permanent and solid peace regime on the Korean Peninsula. Bringing an end to the current unnatural state of armistice and establishing a robust peace regime on the Korean Peninsula is a historical mission that must not be delayed any further.
(A) South and North Korea reaffirmed the Non-Aggression Agreement that precludes the use of force in any form against each other, and agreed to strictly adhere to this Agreement.
(B) South and North Korea agreed to carry out disarmament in a phased manner, as military tension is alleviated and substantial progress is made in military confidence-building.
(C) During this year that marks the 65th anniversary of the Armistice, South and North Korea agreed to actively pursue trilateral meetings involving the two Koreas and the United States, or quadrilateral meetings involving the two Koreas, the United States and China with a view to declaring an end to the War, turning the armistice into a peace treaty, and establishing a permanent and solid peace regime.
(D) South and North Korea confirmed the common goal of realizing, through complete denuclearization, a nuclear-free Korean Peninsula. South and North Korea shared the view that the measures being initiated by North Korea are very meaningful and crucial for the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula and agreed to carry out their respective roles and responsibilities in this regard. South and North Korea agreed to actively seek the support and cooperation of the international community for the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula.
The two leaders agreed, through regular meetings and direct telephone conversations, to hold frequent and candid discussions on issues vital to the nation, to strengthen mutual trust and to jointly endeavor to strengthen the positive momentum towards continuous advancement of inter-Korean relations as well as peace, prosperity and unification of the Korean Peninsula.
In this context, President Moon Jae-in agreed to visit Pyongyang this fall.
Done in Panmunjom: April 27, 2018
Moon Jae-in, President, Republic of Korea State Affairs Commission
Kim Jong Un, Chairman, Democratic People’s Republic of Korea
PANMUNJEOM DECLARATION FOR PEACE, PROSPERITY AND UNIFICATION OF THE KOREAN PENINSULA
Soyoung Kim / Reuters & Inter-Korean Summit Press Corps
(April 27, 2018) — TWO LEADERS DECLARE THERE WILL BE NO MORE WAR ON THE KOREAN PENINSULA
TWO LEADERS DECLARE AT THIS HISTORIC SITE OF PANMUNJEOM AS FOLLOWS:
1) South, North Korea will facilitate comprehensive and groundbreaking advancement in inter-Korean relations
– WILL ESTABLISH JOINT LIAISON OFFICE AT GAESEONG, NORTH KOREA
– WILL JOINTLY PARTICIPATE IN INTERNATIONAL SPORTS EVENTS SUCH AS 2018 ASIAN GAMES
– TO HOLD FAMILY REUNIONS ON AUG. 15
2) South, North Korea will make joint efforts to practically eliminate danger of war on the Korean Peninsula
– TO COMPLETELY CEASE ALL HOSTILE ACTS S ON LAND, SEA, AIR
– TO TRANSFORM DMZ INTO A ‘PEACE ZONE’
– TO STOP PROPAGANDA BROADCASTS, LEAFLETS STARTING MAY 1
– AREA NEAR THE WESTERN NORTHERN LIMIT LINE TO BE CREATED INTO MARITIME PEACE ZONE TO PREVENT SUDDEN CLASHES
– TO HOLD MILITARY TALKS IN MAY
3) South, North Korea will actively cooperate to establish a permanent peace regime on the Korean Peninsula. The matter must not be delayed any further.
– SOUTH, NORTH KOREA AGREE TO ACTIVELY COOPERATE TO ESTABLISH PERMANENT PEACE REGIME
– AGREE TO CARRY OUT RESPECTIVE ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
– MOON AGREES TO VISIT PYONGYANG THIS FALL
– TO CARRY OUT DISARMANENT IN ‘PHASED MANNER’ AS MILITARY TENSION IS ALLEVIATED
– PRECLUDES USE OF FORCE IN ANY FORM AGAINST EACH OTHER
– TO PURSUE ARMS REDUCTIONS GRADUALLY
