Kim makes history as North Korea leader crosses into South for start of summit

Source: France 24

April 26, 2018 at 21:44

© Jung Yeon-je / AFP | People watch a television screen showing live footage of the inter-Korea summit between South Korean President Moon Jae-in and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, at a railway station in Seoul on April 27, 2018.

With a single step, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un made history Friday by crossing over the world's most heavily armed border to greet his rival, South Korean President Moon Jae-in, for talks on North Korea's nuclear weapons.

Kim then invited Moon to cross briefly north with him before they returned to the southern side.

Those small steps must be seen in the context of the last year when the United States, its ally South Korea and the North seemed at times to be on the verge of nuclear war as the North unleashed a torrent of weapons tests but also in light of the long, destructive history of the rival Koreas, who fought one of the 20th century's bloodiest conflicts and even today occupy a divided peninsula that's still technically in a state of war.

It was all smiles Friday as Moon grasped Kim's hand and led him along an blindingly red carpet into South Korean territory, where school children placed flowers around their necks and an honor guard stood at attention for inspection.

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