Members of the National Security Council discuss ways to thoroughly carry out the Panmunjeom Declaration, as agreed upon at the Inter-Korean Summit, at Cheong Wa Dae on May 17. (Korea.net DB)
By Sohn JiAe
Cheong Wa Dae has reaffirmed its commitment to carrying out the Panmunjeom Declaration step-by-step, as agreed between the leaders of the two Koreas on April 27, in a National Security Council (NSC) meeting at Cheong Wa Dae on May 17.
In the meeting, presided over by Director of National Security Chung Eui-yong, NSC members, including Presidential Chief of Staff Im Jong-seok, Minister of Foreign Affairs Kang Kyung-wha and Unification Minister Cho Myoung-Gyon, agreed to implement agenda items from the declaration, such as the observation of the dismantlement of the Punggye-ri nuclear test site and hosting joint events to commemorate the previous June 15 South-North Joint Declaration.
The NSC also said that it would continue to work closely with North Korea so as to resume the indefinitely suspended inter-Korean meetings among high-ranking officials as swiftly as possible.
On top of that, the NSC decided to take advantage of various dialogue channels between the South and North Korea, and also between South Korea and the U.S., so as to fine-tune differences between all sides so as to make the planned Washington-Pyeongyang summit a success under the spirit of mutual respect.