South Korean President Roh Moo-hyun crossed the Military Demarcation Line (MDL) on foot Tuesday, taking a landmark step into the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK).

South Korean President Roh Moo-hyun (1st L) and his wife Kwon Yang-sook cross the border line in Paju, north of Seoul, capital of the Republic of Korea (ROK), Oct. 2, 2007.

Roh, who will hold a summit with top DPRK leader Kim Jong-il from Tuesday to Thursday, became the first-ever leader from the South to walk across the border, which symbolizes more than half a century of estrangement since the 1950-1953 Korean War.

Prior to the historic step at around 9:05 AM (0005 GMT), Roh said he will make efforts to bring about peace and prosperity on the Korean Peninsula.

"I can see nothing around here. But this (invisible) border line has been a barrier separating the Korean people for the past half a century," he said.

"The Korean people have suffered too much pain because of this border line. I'll work hard to pave the way for (inter-Korean) peace and prosperity," said the president.

After the emotional speech, Roh, First Lady Kwon Yang-suk and 13 official delegates walked about 30 meters to cross the border on foot, a symbolic gesture intended to demonstrate their enthusiasm for permanent peace on the peninsula.

A new yellow line was painted alongside the MDL, which runs near the 38th parallel for roughly 248 km across the peninsula, as the line itself is not clearly drawn and is only marked by a series of identical signs placed at intervals.

Established as the ceasefire line at the end of the Korean War, the MDL has served as a symbol of Korean separation for more than five decades.

(Xinhua News Agency October 2, 2007)