Korean leaders issue peace call

SEOUL – The North and South Korean leaders called yesterday for a nuclear-free peninsula and a permanent peace pact to end the world’s last Cold War divide as they wrapped up a rare summit.

The historic foes agreed to step up trade, travel and political exchanges, including starting a freight train between the impoverished communist North and prosperous South and flights for the growing number of South Korean tourists. North Korea’s reclusive leader Kim Jong-Il, dressed in his trademark khaki jumpsuit, smiled, shook hands and clinked champagne glasses with President Roh Moo-Hyun, only the second South Korean leader ever to visit Pyongyang.The two leaders, closing the three-day summit, signed an agreement pledging to work for a permanent peace between the two Koreas, which remain technically at war after their 1950-53 war halted with only an armistice.”The South and North will not take a hostile stance towards each other and will reduce military tension and resolve issues of conflict through dialogue and negotiation,” the joint declaration said.It called for a summit by leaders of “three or four countries” to declare a formal end to the Korean War.The United States and China also fought in the Korean War on opposite sides, meaning their signatures are necessary to finish it.North Korea-watchers voiced some surprise at the breadth of the agreement as expectations had been low.Roh, however, is a diehard advocate of reconciling with the North and leaves office in only four months.”The summit produced better results than many earlier predicted, especially in economic cooperation and peace,” said Kim Yeon-Chul, a professor at Korea University’s Asiatic Research Centre.Roh was visibly upbeat as he left Pyongyang.He planted a tree and waved with a smile as he was seen off by Kim Yong-Nam, the North’s titular number two leader, and a lively brass marching band in blue uniforms.South Korea’s conservative opposition, whose presidential candidate was well ahead to succeed Roh in polls taken before the summit, acknowledged the meeting yielded results but said it did not go far enough.Lee Myung-bak, the front-runner in December’s election, said North Korea did not make any fresh commitment to end its nuclear drive.”There should be no rush to make a peace declaration without nuclear dismantlement,” Lee said.Kim Jong-Il and Roh agreed in the declaration to make joint efforts to ensure that existing agreements on shutting down the North’s nuclear programme are implemented smoothly.The statement means Kim Jong-Il has personally signed up to denuclearisation efforts almost a year after his regime tested an atomic weapon for the first time.In a six-nation agreement made public late on Wednesday, the North agreed to declare all its nuclear programmes and disable its main atomic reactor by the end of the year under US supervision.The joint statement called for more inter-Korean summits.Kim used the spotlight to emphatically deny rumours that he is suffering from heart disease, diabetes or other health problems.Nampa-AFPNorth Korea’s reclusive leader Kim Jong-Il, dressed in his trademark khaki jumpsuit, smiled, shook hands and clinked champagne glasses with President Roh Moo-Hyun, only the second South Korean leader ever to visit Pyongyang.The two leaders, closing the three-day summit, signed an agreement pledging to work for a permanent peace between the two Koreas, which remain technically at war after their 1950-53 war halted with only an armistice.”The South and North will not take a hostile stance towards each other and will reduce military tension and resolve issues of conflict through dialogue and negotiation,” the joint declaration said.It called for a summit by leaders of “three or four countries” to declare a formal end to the Korean War.The United States and China also fought in the Korean War on opposite sides, meaning their signatures are necessary to finish it.North Korea-watchers voiced some surprise at the breadth of the agreement as expectations had been low.Roh, however, is a diehard advocate of reconciling with the North and leaves office in only four months.”The summit produced better results than many earlier predicted, especially in economic cooperation and peace,” said Kim Yeon-Chul, a professor at Korea University’s Asiatic Research Centre.Roh was visibly upbeat as he left Pyongyang.He planted a tree and waved with a smile as he was seen off by Kim Yong-Nam, the North’s titular number two leader, and a lively brass marching band in blue uniforms.South Korea’s conservative opposition, whose presidential candidate was well ahead to succeed Roh in polls taken before the summit, acknowledged the meeting yielded results but said it did not go far enough.Lee Myung-bak, the front-runner in December’s election, said North Korea did not make any fresh commitment to end its nuclear drive.”There should be no rush to make a peace declaration without nuclear dismantlement,” Lee said.Kim Jong-Il and Roh agreed in the declaration to make joint efforts to ensure that existing agreements on shutting down the North’s nuclear programme are implemented smoothly.The statement means Kim Jong-Il has personally signed up to denuclearisation efforts almost a year after his regime tested an atomic weapon for the first time.In a six-nation agreement made public late on Wednesday, the North agreed to declare all its nuclear programmes and disable its main atomic reactor by the end of the year under US supervision.The joint statement called for more inter-Korean summits.Kim used the spotlight to emphatically deny rumours that he is suffering from heart disease, diabetes or other health problems.Nampa-AFP