By Korea.net Honorary Reporter Liz Paucar Nureña from Peru

2018 is about to end and thus now is a perfect occasion to recall the events that put Korea in the global spotlight. The following are the main events in Korea that attracted world media coverage.

United by sport

After 30 years, Korea for the second time served as the host country of an Olympiad. Pyeongchang-gun County, in Gangwon-do Province, was the site of the XXIII Winter Olympics from Feb. 9-25.

This Olympics was also an important catalyst in the improvement of inter-Korean relations. Global media highlighted the joint march of athletes from South and North Korea at the opening ceremony under the reunification flag and their fielding of a unified women's ice hockey team.

Ninety-three countries participated in this Olympiad in writing new chapters in their sports histories such as Eritrea, Kosovo, Malaysia, Nigeria, Singapore and Ecuador, which competed in the Winter Olympics for the first time.

Among standout competitors, Korean American Chloe Kim at age 17 became the youngest gold medalist in female snowboarding. The Mexican skier Germán Madrazo, 43, represented his country after learning to ski just the year before. Despite finishing last, he earned recognition for his effort and perseverance.

The 2018 Winter Paralympics in Pyeongchang-gun County also saw athletes from 49 nations compete from March 9-18.



Road to peace

This year also saw three inter-Korean summits, following the other two in 2000 and 2007.

On April 27, the Peace House Peace in Panmunjeom was the scene of an unexpected meeting. South Korean President Moon Jae-in and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un held talks in an important step for the shaping of peace on the Korean Peninsula.

This was also the first inter-Korean summit held in South Korean territory and Kim became the first North Korean leader to set foot in the South.

Around 3,000 journalists from all over the world covered this historic moment. Both leaders shook hands at the inter-Korean border and the climax, which was accompanied by laughter and applause, came when the two men stepped for a few seconds into North Korean territory.

After their meeting, both heads of state signed the Panmunjom Declaration on Peace, Prosperity and Reunification of the Korean Peninsula, agreeing to end all confrontation and improve bilateral relations.

Two more summits followed. The first came on May 26 at Tongilgak House in the northern section of Panmunjeom and the second ran from Sept. 18-20 in the North Korean capital of Pyeongyang.

The year’s final summit saw the two sides sign the Pyeongyang Joint Declaration of September 2018 to promote the denuclearization of the peninsula. They also pledged to promote cooperation in areas such as infrastructure, tourism, the environment, health, reunions of separated families, arts and sports.

Another historic moment came on June 12 in Singapore, where Kim held talks with U.S. President Donald Trump in the first summit between both countries.



Family reunions

Emotions flooded those who had the rare opportunity to see their long-lost relatives in North Korea’s Mount Kumgang after more than six decades of separation.

From August 20-22, 89 elderly South Koreans saw their relatives from the North, probably for the final time given their advanced ages.

The media reported stories like that of Lee Geum-seom, 92, who saw her son Ri Sang-chol, 71, for the first time since he was four as well as that of Han Shin-ja, 99, who met her daughters Kim Kyong Sil, 72, and Kyong Yong, 71.

From Aug. 24-26, 83 North Koreans saw their long-separated relatives from South Korea at the Mount Kumgang resort. These reunions were part of the agreement made at the April 27 summit and showed positive progress in bilateral relations.

2018 has thus been filled with events showing the potential for a peninsula free of conflict and the promise of a reunified Korea.

wisdom117@korea.kr

* This article is written by a Korea.net Honorary Reporter. Our group of Honorary Reporters are from all around the world, and they share with Korea.net their love and passion for all things Korean.