How the Korean peace summit will play out: from a small step for Kim to grand gestures of reconciliation
North Korean leader’s short walk across the border will begin a day laden with symbolic gestures of unity and peace
When Kim Jong-un walks across the border into South Korea for Friday’s historic summit, the reclusive North Korean leader will be stepping into the full gaze of the world for a day laden with symbolic events.
While many of the important discussions will be held behind closed doors one of the most intimate moments of all – a private conversation with his South Korean counterpart Moon Jae-in – will be conducted in full public view.
Further details of the first inter-Korean summit in a decade were announced by the authorities in Seoul on Thursday and included a number of symbolic acts of reconciliation.
The talks in the border truce village of Panmunjom will begin at 9.30am local time (12.30am GMT) when Kim strides across the Military Demarcation Line in the heart of the world’s most heavily guarded demilitarised zone and end with the two leaders signing an agreement, according to Moon’s chief of staff Im Jong-seok.
This will be the first time a North Korean leader has crossed into the South since his grandfather Kim Il-sung during the Korean war.
Im explained that because there “were lots of decisions to be made” on the day – it is not clear how far apart the two sides are on key topics such as denuclearisation – there will be plenty of formal and symbolic events.