No one has worked as hard as South Korean President Moon Jae-in to sustain and advance the momentum of talks between the United States and North Korea. At times, it appears those discussions are even more important than inter-Korean talks between himself and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. Moon's commitment to the nuclear dialogue was evident after his meeting this week with Kim. But while Moon, Kim and U.S. President Donald Trump applaud the meeting's results, observers note the unresolved issues that hang over the nuclear talks, the most important of which is North Korea's commitment to the actual dismantlement of its nuclear weapons.
Moon traveled to Pyongyang for his third summit with Kim on Tuesday. Three days of meetings began with Kim greeting his guest at the airport, then traveling with him down streets lined with bystanders. In addition, Moon made a speech at a huge rally in which he repeated his call for peace between the two Koreas. He also traveled to Mount Paektu, the mythical birthplace of the Korean people and of Kim Jong Il, Kim Jong Un's father.
At the summit's end, the two men signed the Pyongyang Joint Declaration and then held a news conference. They agreed to move toward "an era of no war" and announced a number of agreements toward that goal. Among them are measures to reduce tensions on the Demilitarized Zone, such as closing 11 guard posts and ending military drills along the Military Demarcation Line; developing inter-Korean railroad lines within a year; restarting the Kaesong industrial complex and establishing a family reunion center at the Mount Kumgang tourist area. They also promised to expand culture and sports exchanges and environmental programs.