Moon, Kim pledge complete denuclearization, signing truce into peace pact by 201

South Korean President Moon Jae-in (R) and Kim Jong Un, top leader of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) sign for their joint declaration, titled the Panmunjom Declaration for Peace, Prosperity and Unification of the Korean Peninsula, at Peace House on the South Korean side of Panmunjom, on April 27, 2018. (Xinhua/Inter-Korean Summit Press Corps)

South Korean President Moon Jae-in and Kim Jong Un, top leader of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), confirmed a common goal of complete denuclearization and agreed to push for multilateral talks to turn the current armistice agreement into a peace treaty after their first summit meeting in Panmunjom Friday.

Moon and Kim held a signing ceremony for their joint declaration, the Panmunjom Declaration for Peace, Prosperity and Unification of the Korean Peninsula, at Peace House on the South Korean side of Panmunjom, the border village dividing the rival Koreas since the end of the 1950-53 Korean War.

The leaders confirmed their common goal of realizing a nuclear-free Korean Peninsula via complete denuclearization.

They agreed to push for talks, which would also involve China and the United States, to establish a permanent, firm peace regime with a view to ending hostilities and turning the armistice agreement into a peace treaty this year, the 65th anniversary of the agreement.

Ending the current unactual state of armistice and establishing a firm peace regime on the peninsula is a historical mission that cannot be delayed any more, the joint declaration said.

The two sides shared the view that the measures initiated by the DPRK are very meaningful and crucial for the Korean Peninsula's denuclearization, and agreed to carry out their respective roles and responsibilities in this regard.

They also agreed to seek the international community's support and cooperation for the peninsula's denuclearization.

Kim walked across the military demarcation line into South Korea, becoming the first DPRK leader to set foot on South Korean soil since the Korean War ended with the armistice.

With Kim's visit, the 800-meter-wide Panmunjom dividing the two Koreas became a symbol of peace and dialogue from a symbol of confrontation and division.

After signing the joint declaration, Moon and Kim hugged each other and smiled.

Moon agreed to visit Pyongyang this fall and continue to have frequent discussions with Kim through regular meetings and direct telephone conversations to build mutual trust. A hotline between the two leaders was set up a week earlier, the first such communications channel between the leaders of the two Koreas.

South Korean President Moon Jae-in (R) and Kim Jong Un, top leader of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) exchange their joint declaration, titled the Panmunjom Declaration for Peace, Prosperity and Unification of the Korean Peninsula, at Peace House on the South Korean side of Panmunjom, on April 27, 2018. (Xinhua/Inter-Korean Summit Press Corps)

The Panmunjom declaration has three main themes: establishing a peace regime, making efforts to ease military tensions, and prosperity and unification of the two Koreas.

Seoul and Pyongyang agreed to carry out a phased disarmament in accordance with the eased military tension and the progress in military trust-building, reaffirming the non-aggression agreement that precludes the use of force in any form toward each other.

Moon and Kim declared that there will be no more war on the peninsula, sharing a commitment to bring a swift end to the Cold War legacy of division and confrontation and approach a new era of national reconciliation, peace and prosperity.

The two Koreas agreed to completely stop all hostile acts against each other on land, in sea and air that are the source of military tension and conflict. In this vein, the two sides agreed to transform the four-km-wide demilitarized zone into a peace zone by ceasing as of May 1, all hostile acts such as loudspeaker broadcasts against each other and distributing leaflets across the border.

The two sides will devise practical measures to change the areas around the Northern Limit Line, which serves as the de-facto maritime border in the West Sea, into a maritime peace zone to prevent accidental maritime clashes and guarantee safe fishing activities.

They also 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 resolve the military issues that arise between them. They agreed to convene a general-level military meeting in May.

To resolve humanitarian issues, the two Koreas will hold a reunion of families separated across the border around the Aug. 15 Liberation Day, when the Korean Peninsula was liberated from Japanese colonial rule from 1910-45. The two sides will discuss overall issues regarding the separated families via Red Cross meetings.

To achieve balanced growth and co-prosperity on the peninsula, the two sides will implement the projects agreed upon in the Oct. 4, 2007 declaration by then South Korean President Roh Moo-hyun and then DPRK leader Kim Jong Il, father of the current leader, following the second inter-Korean summit.

As a first step, South Korea and the DPRK will connect and modernize railways and roads in the eastern transport corridor and between Seoul and the DPRK's northwestern city of Sinuiju.

To raise the sense of national reconciliation and unity, the two Koreas agreed to encourage exchanges, cooperation, visits and contacts at all levels.

To secure close consultations between the authorities of the two Koreas and smooth exchanges and cooperation among their private sectors, the two sides will establish a joint liaison office in the DPRK's border town of Kaesong.

Editor: John Li