North and South Korea pledge to end all hostilities and work for nuclear-free peninsula
Statement wraps up historic summit with promise to eliminate risk of conflict and work with international community, but analysts say it lacks details
Leaders of the two Koreas wrapped up a historic summit on Friday with a pledge to end their six decades of hostility, vowing to commit to peace and “complete” denuclearisation of their divided peninsula and eventually achieve unification.
Kim Jong-un became the first North Korean leader to walk across the demarcation line and set foot in the south – where he was greeted by South Korean President Moon Jae-in – since the Korean war in 1953.
The two Koreas issued a declaration pledging to work together for a “nuclear-free Korea”, disarmament, as well as officially ending the war following two sessions of meetings between the two leaders in the fortified border village of Panmunjom.
The declaration contains many pledges, including taking steps to prevent accidental military conflicts, and to cooperate with the international community to achieve a nuclear-free peninsula.
The document also promises mutual disarmament “in a phased manner” to build trust.
The United States, China and Russia welcomed the agreement, but analysts cautioned against the lack of a roadmap or details in the declaration.