North and South Korea vow to end the Korean War in historic accord - Politics Forum.org | PoFo

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#14909639
https://edition.cnn.com/2018/04/27/asia ... index.html
lsan, South Korea (CNN)Leaders of the two Koreas have agreed to end the Korean War, 65 years after hostilities ceased, in a wide-ranging joint announcement struck Friday, that includes working towards the complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula.

But the announcement, which largely steered clear of specifics regarding Pyongyang's nuclear capabilities, faces major hurdles before any peace deal can be reached, which must also involve China and the US, both of whom were participants in the original conflict.
South Korean President Moon Jae-in and his North Korean counterpart, Kim Jong Un, signed the "Panmunjom Declaration for Peace, Prosperity and Unification on the Korean Peninsula," at the demilitarized zone (DMZ), after an historic day of meetings, including a 30-minute private conversation the contents of which are unknown.
In separate speeches they promised a new era for the Korean Peninsula. Addressing the world's media, Kim said the Koreas "will be reunited as one country."
The Koreas went to war in 1950 when soldiers from the North Korean People's Army invaded the South. Although the armed conflict ended three years later in 1953, with the signing of an armistice agreement, no formal peace treaty was ever signed, and technically, the Peninsula remains at war.
The landmark announcement followed a day heavy with symbolism and moments of what appeared to be genuine warmth between the two leaders, as the South Korean government put into action a program it had been preparing and rehearsing for weeks.
The stage is now set for Kim's meeting with US President Donald Trump, due to take place later this year.
Trump and the rest of the US were asleep when today's summit was taking place, but as the US East Coast woke up to the news that the Korean War could finally end, Trump tweeted all Americans "should be very proud of what is now taking place in Korea!"
"After a furious year of missile launches and nuclear testing, a historic meeting between North and South Korea," he said. "Good things are happening, but only time will tell!"
READ THE FULL DECLARATION
Hoping for reunification
Following the signing ceremony Friday, Moon and Kim clasped hands and hugged in a symbolic act of togetherness. But while Friday was all smiles and handshakes, there are signs the declaration may contain potential pitfalls. Under the declaration, the two parties "confirmed the common goal of realizing, through complete denuclearization, a nuclear-free Korean Peninsula."
What all sides mean by denuclearization has long been a sticking point, especially between North Korea and the US.
Historic Koreas summit
Live: Kim, Moon hold landmark talks
Here's what Kim and Moon first said
Full report: Kim calls for 'new history'
Watch: Kim's guards run by limo
Photos: Moon and Kim meet at DMZ
Watch: Kim crosses demarcation line
"Going into the US-North Korea summit, the key question remains whether North Korea would truly give up its nuclear weapons program," Stratfor Asia Pacific analyst Evan Rees said in a statement.
"The phrasing of the Panmunjom Declaration refers to denuclearization of the peninsula, which could mean movement of US strategic assets, and a phased, rather than a rapid denuclearization -- which goes against what the US has called for."
Earlier in the day, Kim Jong Un said he hoped disagreements would not result in the non-implementation of the declaration, as they have done in the past, hinting he may be aware that the deal is not yet quite done.
Historic day
South Korea had scripted the meeting of the two leaders, down to the second, but it was Kim who delivered the most dramatic moment.
After he crossed the military demarcation line separating North and South Korea to shake hands with Moon, Kim invited him to step into the North.
South Korean President Moon Jae-in and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un meet at the Military Demarcation Line at the DMZ, April 27.
South Korean President Moon Jae-in and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un meet at the Military Demarcation Line at the DMZ, April 27.
The moment was greeted by gasps, cheers and applause from people watching it on a large screen in central Seoul, and at a conference center in nearby Ilsan, where the South Korean government had set up a sprawling media center for the thousands of journalists invited to watch history being made.
It was also perhaps the only spontaneous moment in what was a carefully choreographed affair, which those on the South Korean side had been practicing and rehearsing for weeks.
"President Moon briefly crossed over the MDL to the North," the Blue House said in a statement, referring to the military demarcation line. "This was not a planned event."
Kim Hyun, spokeswoman for Moon's Democratic Party, told reporters the "whole nation and entire world passionately cheered" the meeting, adding that Kim's crossing onto South Korean soil would be "remembered as a deeply moving moment."
Writing in a visitor's book upon entering the Peace House, where negotiations took place, Kim wrote "a new history begins now" and "an age of peace, at the starting point of history."
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un signs the guest book as South Korean President Moon Jae-in looks on.
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un signs the guest book as South Korean President Moon Jae-in looks on.
Moon praised Kim's "courageous and bold decision" to sit down for talks during their morning meeting. "Over the past seven decades we weren't able to communicate, so I think we can talk the whole day today", Moon said, drawing laughs from Kim.
Jean H Lee, a North Korea expert at the US based Wilson Center, said the images of Kim will have a great resonance in South Korea.
"For more than a decade, South Koreans have been cut off from North Korea due to tensions," she said in a statement.
"Seeing Kim Jong Un live, chatting easily with their president, will no doubt have been jolt to South Koreans and remind them that the North Koreans are the same people in many ways, in language and shared history if not their political or economic structure."
Sixty-five years of conflict
North of Seoul, along the Freedom Road, which stretches from the city to the Reunification Bridge leading into the demilitarized zone (DMZ), there was a sign of the changing mood: on one side of the highway, yellow and white balloons emblazoned with a blue map of Koreas; on the other, razor wire, guard towers and heavily armed soldiers patrolling the southern bank of the Han River which bisects the still-at-war Peninsula.
While fighting ended 65 years ago, the wounds of war are still very apparent. Families remain split by the conflict, unable to see their relatives on the other side, and some who lost relatives decades ago are still unaware of what fate befell them.
Near the DMZ Thursday, 51 people from the Korean War Veterans Revisit Korea Program had gathered to remember their relatives lost in that conflict and support peace and reunification.
"My father Karle Seydel was killed December 7, 1950 in the Chosun reservoir," Ruth Hebert, who was from San Diego in California, told CNN. His body is believed to be still somewhere inside North Korea.
Hebert said she had spoken with South Koreans who had lost family members in the war and been separated from relatives by the partitioning of the Peninsula.
"We hope and pray that ... this starts to really change," she added. "There's a hope with Japan, with Korea, with the Americans to recover remains. There may be a few (prisoners of war) alive but mostly now it's down to remains."
A formal end to the war will involve more than just the Koreas. Both China and the US, under the flag of the United Nations, were massively involved in the conflict, and would have to be signatories to an eventual peace treaty.
CNN's Sophie Jeong, Yoonjung Seo, Sophie Jeong, Elaine Ly, and Yujin Park contributed reporting



it looks serious and if a peace deal will go ahead Trump deserve a peace nobel price

unlike Obama who didnt deserve it and only made things worse in his 8 years term Trump could achieve success in just a relatively short time
#14909643
Zionist Nationalist wrote:it looks serious and if a peace deal will go ahead Trump deserve a peace nobel price

unlike Obama who didnt deserve it and only made things worse in his 8 years term Trump could achieve success in just a relatively short time


Fuck off. Trump has done fuck all apart from sounding off on his Twitter account. The fact that US diplomats pretty much tried to influence SK to ignore NKs olive branch during the winter Olympics (along with their snubs) arguably means that the US would still rather maintain their imperialist Asian ambitions rather than peace in the Korean peninsula.

It is Kim and Moon who deserve the applause and any potential prizes. Today is a great day for Earth and I have a great feeling that this is actually genuine consolidation for peace for once.
#14909648
Because of course everything has to do with Trump.

Anyway, this is incredible news and I hope they can carry on with the momentum. The two countries merging is still a far distance, but normalizing relations is a huge leap.
#14909649
B0ycey wrote:Fuck off. Trump has done fuck all apart from sounding off on his Twitter account. The fact that US diplomats pretty much tried to influence SK to ignore NKs olive branch during the winter Olympics (along with their snubs) arguably means that the US would still rather maintain their imperialist Asian ambitions rather than peace in the Korean peninsula.

It is Kim and Moon who deserve the applause and any potential prizes. Today is a great day for Earth and I have a great feeling that this is actually genuine consolidation for peace for once.



Than why under 8 years of this monkey shit president nothing seem to have moved to a positive direction?

Middle east was fucked up completely
North Korea and US reached extreme tensions
Europe got attacked by Islamists

Leftist liberals seem so desperate not to give any credit to Trump even when he deserve it
#14909653
Zionist Nationalist wrote:Than why under 8 years of this monkey shit president nothing seem to have moved to a positive direction?

Middle east was fucked up completely
North Korea and US reached extreme tensions
Europe got attacked by Islamists

Leftist liberals seem so desperate not to give any credit to Trump even when he deserve it


I hate to burst your bubble, but the Middle East is still 'fucked up completely' and will continue to be so until ISIS is completely defeated and there is no more reasons for the West to remain there. And America has caused Europes troubles by creating conflict in the Middle East in the first place.

Nonetheless, Trump coincidentally be reciding in the White House at the time does not mean he has actually done anything to broker peace. If anything, he was a hindrance.
#14909654
B0ycey wrote:Nonetheless, Trump coincidentally be reciding in the White House at the time does not mean he has actually done anything to broker peace. If anything, he was a hindrance.

This is already a facepalm thing. Everyone is giving Trump credit... as if the Korean states have no personal agency. Trump didn't host a meeting, he didn't lead talks, he didn't propose anything... but people will make it have to do with Trump.

This is an accomplishment for the Korean states. It is their job. Not everything has to revolve around America.
#14909656
I have always been fond of the West African proverb: "Speak softly and carry a big stick; you will go far."

This is what Teddy Roosevelt actually wrote, not said. Trump simply believes in the same method which has also been called realpolitik and gun boat diplomacy. From the quote you can see it is not a new idea. Obama tried negotiating without the big stick. Negotiating works out better for you if you use the big stick. Trump is neither a genius nor an idiot for using it. It is simply a choice and it worked with North Korea. It is ridiculous to pretend it did not. Trump deserves to be credited if anything significant comes from it.
#14909664
One Degree wrote:Negotiating works out better for you if you use the big stick. Trump is neither a genius nor an idiot for using it. It is simply a choice and it worked with North Korea. It is ridiculous to pretend it did not. Trump deserves to be credited if anything significant comes from it.


Utter bollocks. But considering the author, I expect nothing else. What is it you think Trump did to cause these peace talks? The snubs or the threats on Twitter? Neither did anything but cause greater conflict. Gun boat diplomacy doesn't cause peace through resolutions or talks as is the case here. It causes suppression and imperialism that can only be maintained by more conflict - so it silences the desenting voices not bargins with them.

The cynic in me believes that the mountain collapse within the NK nuclear test site meant the NK nuclear program was set back many years and so they thought they might as well trade it in for peace and aid. So all the credit should actually go to Kim for actually having the balls to concede his nuclear program was futile. Trump deserves nothing but an ego deflation and people calling this out for what it is. A coincidence.
#14909669
B0ycey wrote:Utter bollocks. But considering the author, I expect nothing else. What is it you think Trump did to cause these peace talks? The snubs or the threats on Twitter? Neither did anything but cause greater conflict. Gun boat diplomacy doesn't cause peace through resolutions or talks as is the case here. It causes suppression and imperialism that can only be maintained by more conflict - so it silences the desenting voices not bargins with them.

The cynic in me believes that the mountain collapse within the NK nuclear test site meant the NK nuclear program was set back many years and so they thought they might as well trade it in for peace and aid. So all the credit should actually go to Kim for actually having the balls to concede his nuclear program was futile. Trump deserves nothing but an ego deflation and people calling this out for what it is. A coincidence.


Well, your belief in coincidence is about the only support your view has. I don’t believe much in coincidence. North Korea has only been allowed to exist because of support from China and Russia. Times have changed. Trump’s ranting made it clear their future support could be very expensive for them. They have little reason to continue their support in today’s world. Trump made it clear US troops would not enter on the ground. This was essential because it was the only thing Russia and China could not ignore easily. His strategy was not as haphazard as you would like to believe. His ranting was actually beneficial. Everyone is scared of a crazy person, so why not act crazy?
#14909671
One Degree wrote:Well, your belief in coincidence is about the only support your view has. I don’t believe much in coincidence. North Korea has only been allowed to exist because of support from China and Russia. Times have changed. Trump’s ranting made it clear their future support could be very expensive for them. They have little reason to continue their support in today’s world. Trump made it clear US troops would not enter on the ground. This was essential because it was the only thing Russia and China could not ignore easily. His strategy was not as haphazard as you would like to believe. His ranting was actually beneficial. Everyone is scared of a crazy person, so why not act crazy?


Are you serious? Do you honestly believe Russia and China was influenced by Trumps Twitter rants. :lol:

Time may have past since you left PoFo to avenge your beloved Frollein, but your lack of common sense is still as prevalent as ever since your return I see.

Russia or China was about as influential in creating these talks as America was. That is, they didn't do anything. They happened because Kim offered an olive branch to SK during the Winter Olympics and Moon ignored Trumps requests to snub them. So Trump was a hindrance and actually could have prevented them rather than the creator of them as it happens. That fact he happens to be the US president today is a coincidence. And if you don't believe in coincidences then you don't believe in reality.
#14909673
B0ycey wrote:Are you serious? Do you honestly believe Russia and China was influenced by Trumps Twitter rants. :lol:

Time may have past since you left PoFo to avenge your beloved Frollein, but your lack of common sense is still as prevalent as ever since your return I see.

Russia or China was about as influential in creating these talk as America was. That is, they didn't do anything. They happened because Kim offered an olive branch to SK during the Winter Olympics and Moon ignored Trumps requests to snub them. So Trump was a hindrance and actually could have prevented them rather than the creator of them as it happens. That fact he happens to be the US president today is a coincidence. And if you don't believe in coincidences then you don't believe in reality.


So, now you believe Russia, China, and Trump had no influence on Kim’s ‘benevolent’ gesture? His test site blew up, so he decided to pursue peace because...?. Your view is so far from any possible reality, I have no way to respond to it. Yes, he may be a Martian here to teach earthlings some unfathomable truth concealed by irrational actions.
#14909677
There is no point even responding to you One Degree because you don't know what you are talking about most of the time. You write hundreds of posts of complete and utter shit. So this is the last response you will get from me on this subject.

I don't know why Kim changed direction. I have my suspicions but that is it. Only he could answer that. But what I do know for a fact is no matter what America said or done previously changed their direction on their Nuclear program. China was more a influential voice but was also ignored most of the time. I also know Trumps Twitter rants nearly cause WWIII and peace seemed like an impossible dream last year. Then there was reports that NKs nuclear base had collapsed on itself and all of a sudden Kim changed direction on his program. Is that a coincidence? Well you don't believe in them I guess. So I will just be happy to acknowledge that Kim has the balls to do the right thing and Trump did fuck all - which is the reality I am afraid.
#14909683
B0ycey wrote:There is no point even responding to you One Degree because you don't know what you are talking about most of the time. You write hundreds of posts of complete and utter shit. So this is the last response you will get from me on this subject.

I don't know why Kim changed direction. I have my suspicions but that is it. Only he could answer that. But what I do know for a fact is no matter what America said or done previously changed their direction on their Nuclear program. China was more a influential voice but was also ignored most of the time. I also know Trumps Twitter rants nearly cause WWIII and peace seemed like an impossible dream last year. Then there was reports that NKs nuclear base had collapsed on itself and all of a sudden Kim changed direction on his program. Is that a coincidence? Well you don't believe in them I guess. So I will just be happy to acknowledge that Kim has the balls to do the right thing and Trump did fuck all - which is the reality I am afraid.


I fully agree I probably don’t know what I am talking about most of the time, but the real problem is you apparently believe you do know what you are talking about. I hope you overcome that. Your view causes conflict in the world, not mine.
#14909684
Zionist Nationalist wrote:it looks serious and if a peace deal will go ahead Trump deserve a peace nobel price

The Nobel Peace Prize should go to Rex Tillerson if there is a compromise made and Trump meets with Kim, I'm sure it's due to his efforts as secretary of state. However, the Tillerson era had to end because Trump wants to be hawkish with Iran after he made a deal with Kim.
#14909689
I think this is a matter of things finally falling into place in a way that allows both Koreas, China and the US to go along with peace. Neither Koreas are run by hardliners who would never accept anything but capitulation.

DPRK has leverage in the nuclear program that keeps it from devolving into a junior satelite state until an eventual unification. There might have been some internal struggle on this among the North Korean brass, but it seems Kim now feels confident enough to engage the ROK without risking a coup. China gets to keep her neighbourhood nice and secure, while maintaining a buffer to the US. The US seems to be willing to reduce their foreign presence in a geopolitical hotspot in which they will likely keep political influence for some time.

It isn't entirely coincidence that has allowed peace talks to happen. Nor can we disregard that Trump has not only refrained from sabotaging peace talks, but has encouraged it. However, I don't think it can be reduced just to the willingness of the Koreas to seek peace, but it certainly isn't just down to Trump either.
#14909711
Zagadka wrote:This is already a facepalm thing. Everyone is giving Trump credit... as if the Korean states have no personal agency. Trump didn't host a meeting, he didn't lead talks, he didn't propose anything... but people will make it have to do with Trump.


To be fair he did help push them together by proving that he's a fickle, unreliable dumbass.

One Degree wrote:This is what Teddy Roosevelt actually wrote, not said. Trump simply believes in the same method which has also been called realpolitik and gun boat diplomacy. From the quote you can see it is not a new idea. Obama tried negotiating without the big stick. Negotiating works out better for you if you use the big stick. Trump is neither a genius nor an idiot for using it. It is simply a choice and it worked with North Korea. It is ridiculous to pretend it did not. Trump deserves to be credited if anything significant comes from it.


Lmao. No, Trump's strategy is to shout loudly while banging the stick everywhere and showing everyone that he does not understand the stick or the ramifications of using it.
#14909714
Truth To Power wrote:Much as I dislike Trump, it's possible that his intensified sanctions hitting Chinese firms that deal with NK had a significant effect in bringing Kim to the table. Just sayin'.

It wasn't Kim who had to be brought to the table. Any North Korean head of state would have been happy to sit down to the table with the president of the United States. Now Trump does it and it's supposed to be his victory. :roll:
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