Summit delivers modicum of hope for peaceful future for all Koreans

ALTHOUGH much of the world's attention was on Kim Jong Un's pledges on North Korea's nuclear weapons and missile tests, they do not seem to have been the most salient issue during the inter-Korean summit with South's President Moon Jae In last week. It's the first part of the joint declaration that should be the real focus of interest.

First and foremost, South and North Korea affirmed "the principle of determining the destiny of the Korean nation on their own accord". Clearly, it means the two sides have decided that they will have agency in deciding the future of the peninsula; they want to be in the driver's seat. Perhaps they have come to realise that there is no future in being protectorates of the great powers.

The document places emphasis on inter-Korea relations. Both sides agreed to work towards a peace treaty ending the Korean War, 65 years after an armistice was signed. They also agreed to enable family reunions and to improve communications and infrastructure between the two sides. They even demonstrated their solidarity by jointly participating in international sports events such as the 2018 Winter Olympics and possibly also the Asian Games.