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Koreas praised for historic first meeting, talks continue
PYONGYANG, North Korea (CNN) -- The warmth of the first summit between the leaders of Stalinist North Korea and capitalist South Korea spurred hopes on Wednesday of eventual reunification and brought international praise. Washington and Moscow led the applause for Tuesday's historic meeting in Pyongyang between the leaders of the Cold War enemies -- South Korean President Kim Dae-jung and North Korea's Kim Jong-il. "I think the fact that the two leaders are meeting is extraordinarily important as far as direct contact and discussions between North and South Korea. We were heartened to see the warm welcome that President Kim received," White House spokesman Joe Lockhart said in Washington. "You know, it's impossible to predict at this point where these talks will lead, but it's obviously an important step and an important part of the process that they have been brought together in this forum to have discussions directly," he said.
U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan hoped the summit marked "the beginning of a new era of mutual trust and cooperation between the two Koreas," a statement issued through a U.N. spokesman said. "He is also hopeful that the summit will produce substantive results, marking a turning point towards lasting peace and stability on the Korean peninsula and throughout the entire region, as well as national reunification." The Russian Foreign Ministry also welcomed the meeting a few weeks before President Vladimir Putin's own planned visit to the isolated North.
Signs of hopeA red-carpet reception, a historic two-fisted handshake and shared hopes for peace signaled the start of the summit Tuesday. North Korean leader Kim Jong Il greeted his South Korean counterpart on his arrival at the airport -- a surprise appearance by the reclusive communist leader. Even members of Kim Dae-jung's entourage weren't certain if Kim Jong Il would greet his guest in person. During a 40-minute limousine ride into the capital, the two leaders chatted and "sometimes held hands in a show of personal respect," according to Park Joon-young, the South Korean presidential spokesman. The landmark first official meeting lasted for about half an hour as the two leaders set about to thaw relations that have been cold since open hostilities -- the Korean War -- broke out on the peninsula 50 years ago this month. "The world is closely watching us," Kim Jong Il said. "Why President Kim came to North Korea and why I accepted is a question mark. We have to give the answer to this question during the two nights and three days." "June 13 will be a day recorded in history," he added. "Let's get on and make that history," replied Kim Dae-jung.
Dream becomes a realityWhen Kim Dae-jung stepped off his plane from Seoul, he was the first South Korean leader to do so. "It was not just once or twice that I plunged into deep despair thinking that I would never be able to step on the soil of the North in my lifetime," the South Korean said in a statement read in Pyongyang by his spokesman. Kim Dae-jung vowed to lead the effort for peace, cooperation and reunification on the Korean Peninsula. The split between the two countries is one of the last remnants of the Cold War. He told North Koreans that he would search with their leader for ways for all Koreans to live peacefully and to lead better lives. "This is just the beginning. Since the inter-Korean summit, which was just a dream, is now a reality, we will solve problems one at a time," Kim Dae-jung said. The two leaders are expected to discuss economic cooperation, family reunions and the possibility of finally ending the war that merely moved off the battlefield in 1953.
Handshake a sign of 'mutual recognition'Kim's words amplified the hopes of many that the summit could bring peace to the peninsula for the first time since an armed truce ended the open fighting of the Korean War in 1953. No formal peace treaty was ever signed between the two countries. But it was the two-handed handshake offered by Kim Jong Il -- a sign of friendship and respect in Korea -- that set an encouraging tone for the three-day summit. Korean analyst Stephen Linton told CNN that the double-handed handshake was comparable to a hug in the West. He said nobody could have imagined Kim Jong Il doing that in the recent past. "What this means is mutual recognition," CNN correspondent Mike Chinoy said. "That is something neither side has been willing to do (in the past)." Kim Dae-jung offered a symbolic gesture of his own, allowing North Korea, a longtime enemy, to provide his security during the summit. The Koreas have been divided in a Cold War standoff for decades. The 1950-53 Korean War, in which U.S.-led forces fought Chinese- and Soviet-backed North Korean troops, ended in an armed truce and unwavering political tension. The countries remain technically at war, and thousands of troops guard each side of the border. Reunification and reunion of family members separated during the war were among the issues expected to be discussed during the three-day, historic summit. The two countries had agreed to a summit in 1994. But then North Korean leader Kim Il Sung died at age 82 only weeks before he was to meet with South Korean counterpart, Kim Young-sam. The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report.
RELATED STORIES: South Korea's Kim Dae-jung arrives in Pyongyang for historic north-south summit RELATED SITES: North Korea: Politics and Government | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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CNN's Sohn Jie-ae has a video profile of South Korean President Kim Dae-jung. (June 13)
CNN's Mike Chinoy shows the events surrounding the first day of the summit. (June 13)
South Koreans are happy about the summit, as CNN's Sohn Jie-ae shows. (June 13)
CNN's Mike Chinoy looks at the background of North Korean Leader Kim Jong Il. (June 12)
CNN's Rebecca MacKinnon reports on the plight of North Korean refugees fleeing to China. (June 08)
