Observations of and Thoughts on the North South Summit at Panmunjeom: "The destiny of our people shall only be determined by us."




The table for the negotiations in the peace house was changed to an oval shape, to imply closer cooperation between the two states, and the large portrait in one room is changed to the famous Geumgansan mountain peak range, rather than Bektusan or Hallasan at the respective poles of the North and South, to reflect the accommodation of the respective states. Bektusan is the famous volcano on the Chinese border of North Korea. Hallasan is the largest volcano in the center of Cheju island.


The Geumgangsan region in North Korea was open to South Korean tourism between 1999 and 2008. The facilties there were used by the International Red Cross to arrange north south family reunions.

Later at the ceremonial planting of the "Peace and Prosperity Tree," in the Joint Security Area, Kim shoveled soil brought from Hallasan, Chejudo, South Korea, and Moon shoveled soil brought from Bektusan, North Korea.


It's hard to read Kim's writing in the guest register in the Peace House, there is an introductory phrase to the writing that I think says "A new history from this time an era of peace, from the historic starting point...." then his illegible signature. His writing is right handed and slants upward and to the right.


Kim said it took some effort to bring the cold noodles from Pyongyang. Then he quipped, "I shouldn't say it's far away (any longer)." Then
he said, "let's not worry too much about the eleven years we didn't talk to each other. (let's make the most of this) we must be successful."
Moon said, "the moment Kim stepped over the DML, made Panmoonjeom the symbol of peace." Moon wrote in the register, "Everyone in the world wishes for peace, let's give them that gift."


Kim had said earlier that he was moved that Moon came to the DML to meet him. That was the audio from the very beginning when Kim stepped up to the line.

The Japanese press has live coverage focusing on the event. Evidently some of the coverage's editorial content is "we need to see something concrete." As if nothing positive has happened yet.


Kim did say "let's make some good results today," more than once. Expressly using the "us" form of the verb.



Here's my comment on an RT CrossTalk video on youtube, Korean Peace Blitz, April 25, before the summit, as the guests floundered around the Korean issues:


"Il gwol (one bundle) v. dan gae (phased) negotiations. The American position seeks complete verifiable irreversible denuclearization in one bundle. The other parties except Japan seek a phased implementation with reciprocal action for action. S. Korea tries to bridge the differences with a bundled package agreement with a phased implementation. Maintaining "maximum pressure" (sanctions) until total CVID won't work. The US hardline position initially proposed by Trump has the potential to fail catastrophically in one meeting. North Korea isn't going to accept just "sweet words," in exchange for tangible implementation of denuclearization. Pompeo seems aware of this. Will Trump move into a give and take reciprocal step by step implementation, or stick with the so called Libyan method of denuclearization?"

Post summit thoughts-

The Blue House itself has said the US needs to demonstrate more flexibility. While Emanuel Pastreich says Moon has been "lucky," I don't know if you could call Korean history one of luck, but he unquestionably gets the historical context referring to nationalist Kim Koo, who went to North Korea to meet Kim Il Sung in 1948, and who was assassinated by order of Syngmun Rhee's intelligence director a year later. He also recognizes the significance of the candlelight demonstrations that brought down Park Kun Hae and brought Moon to power. He's a wonderful interpreter of Korean events for American and other English speaking peoples to hear. He also discusses the spiritual dimension of these historic developments.


South Korean neighborhood neng myun (cold noodle) restaurants are mobbed after Kim brings Pyongyang neng myun to the Peace House for the delagations to enjoy at dinner.


JTBC is reporting that the official press in North Korea is making known the government's intention to have complete denuclearization. This is the first such public disclosure in North Korea and is a significant event. It's interesting that they are also quoting the North Korean newspaper report to say that the two leaders had a frank and candid exchange of perspectives on the problems associated with a denuclearization of the peninsula.


Nevertheless, it says that "it was confirmed that it is the joint objective of the North and South to achieve complete denuclearization of the peninsula."


It is said in the JTBC news report that the views of Trump or the Trump position on denuclearization was discussed during the 30 minute private conversation between Moon and Kim, and that Moon conveyed Trump's position.


The understandings negotiated for a complete denuclearization are that the North denuclearize and return to the NPT agreement and allow IAEA inspections as soon as possible. Also that any plans for future nuclear weapons should be completely abandoned. It looks to me that Kim has basically agreed to the US objectives here as far as that it should be complete and verifiable. As soon as possible differs from a phased approach in the past. I saw a streamer in the live news reporting reference to Moon saying we need to get this done as soon as possible, emphasizing that time was of the essence.


In return it appears that Moon's negotiators have made promises that there are/will be no US nuclear weapons in S.Korea, and that the US has no intentions of attacking nor invading North Korea whether by nuclear or conventional weapons. These statements are said to provide the contextual background for understanding the meaning of the Sixth provision. So the order of things is still the issue, China is saying that the peace agreement, the resolution of the armistice state of affairs for the peace treaty should be completed first and the US must come forward now and take action. This is in contrast to Trump's vague optimism and blandishments such as, we'll go to the meeting and see how it turns out. So the fourth provision on peace comes before the agreement on denuclearization according to the Chinese.


Moon is hoping to get the joint economic zone in Kesong reopened by the next summit in the fall.


Moon agreed to having the maritime zone around the Northern Limit Line in the West Sea, which has been a matter of dispute since the armistice, to be a "peace zone." I understand that a hot line was set up for this region just recently, before the summit, and the desire is to avoid armed confrontations in the area, such as that which led to military conflicts in the recent past. In return, for this agreement, the North recognized the NLL which it has never done before. They had their own line, and maritime territorial claim. There are several other conventional arms reductions goals agreed to by the parties.


Conservative elements are in an uproar over this.
"See you in Pyongyang this fall..."

The "Libyan Method"

Trump is singularly unprepared to negotiate with North Korea. In fact, he said he isn't going there to negotiate, but rather it's just a meeting. South Korea, North Korea, and China, have proposed a common idea for a resolution of the nuclear weapons issue in North Korea. Those plans include step by step procedures to denuclearize, accompanied by reciprocal consideration from the US, S.Korea and the international community to build trust. The US has no plan, they have simply made a unilateral ultimatum. Bolton has stated that it's a good thing to get the meeting out of the way, so they can get on with it. As far as talks go, he proposes a so called "Libyan method." When can we come in and dismantle everything nuclear along with all your missiles? There is according to Bolton, nothing else to discuss. Just calling it the "Libyan" method, means it won't be accepted and predetermines the outcome. The North Koreans have already stated they won't accept such a method. So this is more like the express train to war in northeast Asia.


The US demand is complete, verifiable, irreversible denuclearization, with no discussion of US reciprocity in the process. That's an ultimatum. Right now the North Korean purpose is to get the US to accept a three phased approach, freeze, reduce, eliminate, (nuclear weapons infrastructure and capabilities) with good faith US/ROK reciprocity at each step. This is what the South Korean's had envisioned at the beginning, though it was never mentioned in the western press. Clearly this is the point of contention with the maximum pressure, nothing conceded till you completely capitulate US demand. China has acted to protect its own national security interests in the region against US threats of war. It is weighing in on behalf of the north.

A Channel A Youtube from South Korea, published on April 1, showed the respective positions of the four states, North and South Korea, China and the US. The US position was first eliminate your nuclear infrastructure, later reward. The other three states all envisaged a phased approach to build trust and accomplish complex tasks. The South Koreans see a single agreement for denuclearization,  followed by steps for implementation. The North Koreans and Chinese see a phased step by step approach, accompanied by simultaneous reciprocal acts by the US, South Korea, and the international community.

Finally, the Blue House, has issued a public statement saying the "Libyan method" is impossible (불가능 不可能) and that the US must demonstrate flexibility.

Observations on South Korea's Arts Group in Pyongyang

A short video clip less than two minutes has some of the highest political leadership of North Korea joining in the singing with the South Korean political representatives who accompanied the arts group to Pyongyang. They are singing Let's Meet Again, and Our Wish, which are theme songs of the unification movement. This is how the joint group performance, which included artists from both states, finished the show.

This video has this scene in it, which is something I thought I'd never see. The political representatives of South Korea and North Korea, powerful politicians not singer performers, are holding hands and singing along with the music! The scene occurs about the 1 minute mark. I couldn't believe my eyes.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_F5nGUi9nzc

The clip, in the link above, is a taken from MBN news, Channel 8.

I watched another broadcast clip from the South Korean Channel A (on youtube) evaluating the cultural exchange performances. The South Korean music content is not being released on North Korean television. The only audio being released is the Our Wish song which has the unification theme, and the following similar song "Let's Meet Again," with the same theme. The analysts say the North Korean leadership are afraid that the North Korean public would be "influenced" by South Korean performance audio content.

The analysts in South Korea believe that General Kim Yong Chol, the hardliner that went to the Olympic closing, is responsible for the (almost total) quarantine on the South Korean performances in North Korea. Kim's younger sister, she's in charge of the propaganda department, probably plays a role as well.

Several of the news videos of the audience for this performance show the audience moving with the music in the finale, in a manner uncharacteristic for North Koreans if we judge by the last such performance in Pyongyang in 2005. So when General Chol and the other heavies are holding hands with the South Korean political representatives, it is during the joint performance of the propaganda unification songs, if you will. Yet, it is still incredible to see these hardcore North Korean communists acting this way.

The domestic censorship of the South Korean music audio is consistent with the "criticism" in the North Korean Worker's Daily commentary yesterday about South Korean arts and culture being the product of capitalist decadence and so on, seducing the working class into slavery. So that audio content is being censored from the North Korean public other than those privileged enough to be selected to attend the event. I had read discussions after the N.Korean US summit was publicly disclosed as something that Trump would accept, that it would take time for North Korea to prepare itself domestically for this. This is reflected in this censorship scheme. South Korean press was barred from entry to the venue, and Chol apologized (which evidently is a rare thing) but I don't think that changed anything.

The world wide whirlwind of North and South Korean diplomatic activity hasn't worked out yet, and is still a work in progress. While various "experts" say the receptivity of the US president to talks unduly raises Kim Jong Un's prestige and "rewards" him, this is essentially incorrect. Meeting with the President and the extensive contacts with South Korea are essentially destabilizing, which is another reason to hold information close and communications under strict censorship in North Korea. If the US rebuffs North Korea, it's going to present an even more complex and hazardous situation.

Kim had requested an oldie South Korean love song on the program, "Belated Regrets." The South Korean artist didn't like having to do it, she said she disliked the song. Kim requested it because it was his father's favorite song. Allegedly Kim Jong Il used to sing it to himself. So Kim demonstrated "hyo," as the dutiful Confucian son. It's not for the domestic audience who don't get to hear it, but maybe to influence South Koreans. Kim apparently thanked the performer for doing it.

A Korean I spoke to recently said that many people in the south are not receptive to this unification message. I've heard that on Korean news as well, that the younger South Korean generation having great economic difficulties is not eager to absorb the costs of development of North Korea. In addition to this older conservative Koreans just can't cope with or accept this ideologically. The latter are the type of people who go to the flag demonstrations and support former conservative presidents Park and Lee. There is no question that unification has appeal to Moon supporters, and also businesses which want to have their limited enterprises in North Korea restored and those who look forward to developing North Korean mineral resources and markets.