ROK President Moon Jae-in (R) and Kim Jong Un, top leader of the DPRK sign for their joint declaration, titled the Panmunjom Declaration for Peace, Prosperity and Unification of the Korean Peninsula, at Peace House on the ROK side of Panmunjom, on April 27, 2018. [Photo/Xinhua]

The carefully choreographed moves surrounding the summit between Kim Jong-un and Moon Jae-in are now part of history. Even more relevant, however, is the bonhomie generated by the talks between the two leaders, and this goodwill is expected to provide the strongest stimulus yet to efforts toward permanent peace on the peninsula. 

At the start of the year, few could have foreseen the upcoming sea-changes in the shape of relations between the two embattled siblings. It all started, as if out of blue, when the North announced plans to participate in the Winter Olympics, hosted by the South, in February. 

It is still a mystery what or who played a role in bringing about such a change of heart. But there is no looking back, not since athletes from the two Koreas marched under the same banner at the opening of the games and cheered each other on during the competition.

The Korean War (1950-53) remains one of the most tragic conflicts in modern history. Caught up in post-war rivalries and Cold War prejudices, the people of Korea suffered all manner of miseries associated with armed conflict. 

Though the hostilities halted after a truce was reached, the war was not officially brought to an end. Technically, the North and South are still at war, which may be why senior military officers from the South reportedly did not return the salute by their Northern counterparts on the occasion of the summit. 

What happened nearly seven decades ago is also history and cannot be undone. What can be done is to learn not to repeat it. It is time to rectify the wrongs of the past and reverse the hardships suffered by the common people, especially the families divided with the division of the country. 

The Cold War has ended, and with it, many of its vestiges have been relegated to the dustbin of history. But the two Koreas are still at loggerheads, bound by the stark irony that peoples having almost everything in common are unable to choose their future or even meet freely without external interference. 

The Kim-Moon summit could be a turning point, as it shows that local leaders are capable of addressing mistrust and building a common future if an enabling environment is provided. The idea of a nuclear-free Korean peninsula is just the starting point. As a symbolic gesture, Mr. Kim has announced plans to shut down a nuclear site next month in the presence of foreign experts.  

He already announced a moratorium on the future testing of missiles and nuclear weapons, and during the summit promised symbolic confidence-building measures like synchronizing clocks with South Korean time and allowing divided families to meet. 

The summit between North and South is a precursor to the more substantial talks ahead. It is a good beginning and provides a platform for the upcoming meeting between leaders of North Korea and the United States.

Donald Trump has been taking credit for forcing Kim to change his attitude under sanctions and a calibrated war of words. Trump is good at rhetoric and fighting pitched battles with opponents, but he will be tested during the summit for his peacemaking diplomatic skills. 

Bringing North Korea into the international mainstream has been complicated. First, it means peace between the two Koreas, and second, it may mean a path to unification. But a united Korea will form a major regional power, and its relations with Japan, China, Russia and the U.S. will be crucial for regional and global politics.

Hence, any movement toward the peace and unification of the two Koreas must have the blessings of neighboring nations.

Similarly, the presence of U.S. troops on South Korean soil is a tricky point and directly linked with the question of denuclearization. Therefore, it is important to find a larger platform to bring all stakeholders together after the current round of summits has concluded. 

Ideally, for all issues to be addressed, bilateral talks between North and South Korea under the umbrella of a trilateral structure with the U.S. -- along with a multilateral avenue like the six-party talks -- should be pursued in tandem. 

Furthermore, a sub-regional security and economic structure should be set up with the U.S., China, Russia, Japan and the Korean peninsula for long-term peace and security. North Korea’s economic vulnerability presents a major security concern, which is why this and all legitimate concerns of North Korea need to be addressed as a prelude to future cooperation.   

Sajjad Malik is a columnist with China.org.cn. For more information please visit:

http://www.china.org.cn/opinion/SajjadMalik.htm

Opinion articles reflect the views of their authors, not necessarily those of China.org.cn.

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