In 2016, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un threatened to strike the residence of South Korea's president with missiles, foreshadowing mounting tensions that have kept the world on alert ever since.
So, when Kim stretched out his hand and smiled at South Korean President Moon Jae-in on Friday, the scene could hardly have been more surreal.
The historic moment was the result of months of negotiations and pressure by both China and the United States, even though it remains unclear how far North Korea is willing to give in. North Korea is also still responsible for horrifying crimes against its own population, including labor camps and torture — something that wasn't addressed in a statement the two leaders released Friday.
In their release, Kim and Moon announced their “common goal” of denuclearization on the Korean Peninsula, which was the clearest such commitment ever agreed by the two nations. Curiously, North Korea's pledge to denuclearize comes after a year in which Kim made major advances in developing and testing nuclear weapons.
Can the North Korean leader still retreat from his pledge and go back into escalation mode? He certainly can, but Friday's overt friendliness may add an extra obstacle. Kim must have been aware of the message every public move Friday — a lot of hugging, smiling and handshaking — would send to the world. (The summit was not broadcast live inside North Korea and it remains uncertain how much of the friendly scenes North Koreans will be able to see.)
Initially surrounded by North Korean officials who later stayed behind, Kim approached the border that has divided North and South Korea for almost seven decades. On the South Korean side of that border — marked by a small barrier — Moon was waiting. Both shook hands, before Kim stepped into South Korea.
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Moon Jae-in, Kim Jong Un shake hands
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