North Korean media praises progress in inter-Korean relations

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

This message was published in the Rodong Sinmun newspaper - the mouthpiece of the Workers' Party of Korea - in an article on September 17 - just one day before South Korean President Moon Jae-in made a three-day visit to North Korea to hold the third summit with leader Kim Jong-un, scheduled to take place on September 18-19.

The article said that the two Koreas should actively open a new history of prosperity and reunification by pooling their strength and wisdom and valuing the achievements made on the road towards the implementation of the Panmunjom Declaration. “Dialogues and cooperation projects are being carried out in various areas as part of efforts to implement the Panmunjom Declaration, and in the process, the people of the two countries are increasingly expressing satisfaction that they are moving towards reconciliation, unification, peace and prosperity,” the message in the Rodong Sinmun said.

The Rodong Sinmun praised the recent progress in inter-Korean relations, calling them great achievements that have opened the door to a bright future for the sake of reconciliation between the two Koreas. The article emphasized North Korea's resolute stance to keep inter-Korean relations on a new path of peace, reconciliation and cooperation.

The article in the Rodong Sinmun did not directly mention the upcoming inter-Korean summit this week, however, analysts said that by emphasizing progress in inter-Korean relations, peace and reconciliation, North Korea seems to want to mention the "general direction" in its policy towards South Korea in the coming time.

Meanwhile, South Korea has also expressed its support for North Korea's call to implement the Panmunjom Declaration and affirmed that the main content of the upcoming Inter-Korean Summit will be to discuss what the two sides have and have not done in the past.

Speaking at a press center for the inter-Korean summit in Seoul on September 17, South Korean presidential chief of staff Im Jong-seok said: “The most important thing now is that the Panmunjom Declaration has been adopted… The leaders of South and North Korea will confirm what has been done, based on the spirit of the agreement and the achievements they have made so far. In addition, the two leaders will also discuss detailed and stable development measures.”

President Moon Jae-in will use the upcoming meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un to discuss ways to denuclearize the Korean Peninsula, Im Jong-seok said. Emphasizing the importance of summits between the leaders of the two sides, Im Jong-seok said: “It was only recently that denuclearization became the main content of discussions between North Korea and the United States… Now, denuclearization has also become a key content of the inter-Korean summit… This issue cannot be discussed at the working level, and even if it could be discussed at the working level, it would be difficult to reach an agreement.”