By Sohn JiAe
Photos = Cheong Wa Dae

President Moon Jae-in attended a ceremony to mark the 17th anniversary of the inter-Korean summit that took place on June 15, 2000.

At the ceremony, on June 15 in Seoul, President Moon said, “The first-ever inter-Korean summit after the division of the two Koreas brought about a breakthrough shift in terms of the inter-Korean relationship.”

“The event assured us that it is possible for us to achieve peaceful unification,” the president said.

“Inter-Korean relations should be reestablished and developed, so as to address challenges facing us nowadays,” President Moon said. He then urged Pyongyang to “give up all its nuclear weapons development programs and seek ways to work with the international community.”



As he emphasized that, “The North’s decision to end its nuclear weapons could be a sign that it’s willing to implement its agreements with the South,” President Moon said, “If Pyongyang is to fulfill that goal, we will help it out.”

“If the North halts further provocations with its nuclear weapons and missiles, we’re willing to engage in unconditional dialogue with the regime,” he affirmed.

The president concluded by saying, “I’m willing to negotiate with the North how to implement the agreements that our previous government made with Pyongyang. It will be possible to discuss a comprehensive range of issues, including the complete abolition of the North’s nuclear program, the establishment of a regime of peace across the Korean Peninsula, and the normalization of the regime’s ties with the U.S.”

jiae5853@korea.kr