« There will be no more war on the Korean peninsula. »
Korea Summit Press Pool/Getty Images
Leaders of North and South Korea vowed to end the longstanding Korean War and work toward denuclearization following a remarkable day-long summit on Friday.
In a historic moment, North Korea’s Kim Jong Un stepped across the military demarcation line separating North and South Korea to shake hands with South Korean President Moon Jae-in before the pair ultimately signed a joint pledge to work toward their “common goal” of denuclearizing the Korean peninsula.
Both Kim and Moon delivered speeches, each addressing the world live on television together for the first time. The North Korean leader declared that the Koreas “will be reunited as one country.”
“The two leaders declare before our people of 80 million and the entire world there will be no more war on the Korean peninsula and a new age of peace has begun,” the two sides said.
Trump took to Twitter following the historic meeting. “After a furious year of missile launches and Nuclear testing, a historic meeting between North and South Korea is now taking place. Good things are happening, but only time will tell!” the president wrote.
“KOREAN WAR TO END!” he added. “The United States, and all of its GREAT people, should be very proud of what is now taking place in Korea!”
However, the specific details regarding key questions about Pyongyang’s definition of “denuclearization” remain slim, which could raise questions ahead of the tentatively scheduled summit with President Donald Trump.
While North Korea remains light on specifics, Trump recently bluntly laid out what he needs from the rogue nation.
“It means they get rid of their nukes. Very simple,” Trump said this week. “It would be easy for me to make a simple deal and claim victory. I don’t want to do that,” he added. “I want them to get rid of their nukes.”
However, many seem skeptical about North Korea’s recent turnaround, and while Friday’s meeting is a historic moment for these two Korean leaders, both North and South Korea have declared hopes for peace in the past and even held similar summits in 2000 and 2007.
But President Trump remains confident that this time is different and that the United States’ maximum pressure campaign is working.
“I don’t think he is playing, no. I don’t think he is playing. It has never gone like this. It has never gone this far,” President Trump told reporters at the White House on Friday.
William is a Senior Congressional and Breaking News Reporter for IJR. Prior to that, he covered politics and breaking news at AOL.com, leading the sit… more
