End of Inter-Korean Summit: The two sides signed a joint statement

South Korean President Moon Jae-in and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un have just started the second round of talks within the framework of the Inter-Korean Summit held in Pyongyang. The two sides have achieved initial success by signing a joint statement. This summit, which is not only considered a rare historic opportunity for South Korea and North Korea to improve relations, but also clearly shows the determination and joint efforts of both sides towards peace and prosperity on the Korean Peninsula despite the challenges and difficulties ahead.

South Korean President Moon Jae-in (left) and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un. Photo: Yonhap

The second meeting took place at 10 a.m. (local time) this morning at the Paekhwawon State Guesthouse in Pyongyang, where President Moon Jae-in and the South Korean delegation are staying during their three-day visit to the North Korean capital. The two leaders signed a joint statement. The signing of this document was broadcast live in Seoul (South Korea).

However, the details of the joint statement have not been released yet. The fact that South Korea and North Korea issued a joint statement on the results of the summit can be seen as a sign of breakthroughs in the denuclearization efforts on the Korean Peninsula.

For the people of South Korea and North Korea who have always looked forward to an era of peaceful relations between the two sides, this meeting between President Moon Jae-in and leader Kim Jong-un is truly a golden opportunity for the two sides to resolve past disagreements and together establish better relations in the future.

No wonder North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has just affirmed his belief in important steps forward in peaceful and prosperous relations with South Korea.

Meanwhile, a heavy responsibility is also placed on the shoulders of South Korean President Moon Jae-in. Through his tireless diplomatic efforts, this leader needs to come up with more practical solutions to realize the statements made at previous inter-Korean summits. In particular, both sides also hope that, through this conference, it will help to resolve the current stagnation in the denuclearization negotiation process.

Obviously, expectations for this historic meeting are very high, as North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has just expressed his goodwill that both sides will soon achieve "significant results".

"I will have candid discussions with President Moon Jae-in of the Republic of Korea on the issues to implement and make success of the Panmunjom Declaration. As President Moon Jae-in and I build trust with each other, the steps toward a future of peace and prosperity on the Korean Peninsula will become faster," Kim Jong-un said.

Meanwhile, the President of South Korea also commented that this is "a time to reap the rewards".

“Completing denuclearization and establishing peace on the Korean Peninsula are important agenda items. We will see a bigger picture of everlasting peace and prosperity. Because it is a completely new solution, there may be many challenges and difficulties. However, Chairman Kim Jong-un and I have trust and friendship,” Moon Jae-in affirmed.

After the joint statement was signed, concluding this inter-Korean summit, South Korean President's press secretary Yoon Young-chan said that the two leaders will hold a press conference to announce the results of the summit.

The outcome of the meeting between the two leaders of South Korea and North Korea will also determine the future of the second US-North Korea summit, as negotiations between Washington and Pyongyang have yet to yield any concrete results after US President Donald Trump expressed disappointment with North Korea for not making any significant progress in the denuclearization process.