South Korea calls for international support for Moon-Kim summit By Lee Min-hyung

Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha called for international society to deliver strong support for lasting peace on the Korean Peninsula in a meeting with foreign diplomats here Friday.

At a luncheon meeting with the diplomats, she underlined the need for them to make concerted efforts for complete denuclearization of the peninsula.

“We are facing challenges and hardships before reaching our destination of lasting peace on the peninsula,” Kang said in a speech at Woosuk University, before meeting with the diplomats.

“The goal is a long-term task that requires patience and effort,” she said.

The two Koreas need to continue to engage in peace talks to ease inter-Korean military tension and reach a detailed consensus for complete denuclearization, Kang added.

After the luncheon, she went to Jeonju Hanok Village in the city of Jeonju, 240 kilometers south of Seoul.

On Friday, Culture Minister Do Jong-hwan also engaged in activities to promote worldwide peace. He visited the inter-Korean border village of Paju, Gyeonggi Province, in the demilitarized zone (DMZ) with a group of diplomats.

Forty eight participants from embassies in Korea joined the DMZ tour where they took a look at the reality of the division of the Korean Peninsula.

The tour was arranged as part of the government’s efforts to promote the ongoing peace momentum here following the historic inter-Korean summit, April 27 this year.

The latest event was arranged after the Ambassador of the Republic of Iraq to South Korea Hayder Shiya Al-Barrak urged the foreign ministry in July to organize the event for them to have vivid experiences of the region at a time when the two Koreas are showing signs of harmony.

To promote the rare signal for peace, the government also recently unveiled plans to develop the border area into an international tourist attraction symbolizing peace.

“We want the foreign diplomats to see with their own eyes the DMZ, which will become a major place for peace tourism,” Do said, calling for their support for the two Koreas to continue promoting the message of peace across the globe.

The government expects the event to play a critical role in drawing international support to promote inter-Korean peace.

After holding two summits this year, President Moon Jae-in and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un plan to have a third one for three days from Sept. 18 to 20 in Pyongyang.

The upcoming dialogue between the leaders from the two Koreas will help resolve the ongoing political stalemate between Washington and Pyongyang, with President Moon playing a “mediating role” to help U.S. President Donald Trump and Kim make smooth progress in their denuclearization talks.

On Wednesday, a five-member South Korean special envoy delegation visited Pyongyang where the North’s young leader reiterated his firm determination to realize peace on the peninsula and bring the stalled dialogue with the U.S. up to momentum and back on track.

In a meeting with the special envoys, Kim expressed frustration that international society continues to doubt his strong resolve for denuclearization despite his sustained peace efforts. Kim said his faith in Trump remained “unwavering,” pledging not to stop realizing his pledge for complete denuclearization.

Source:koreatimes.co.kr