Setting new milestone

Trump-Kim DMZ meeting raises hope for peace

U.S. President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jongun made history in a meeting at the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ), the world's last symbol of the Cold War, Sunday. Their meeting, though quick and brief, marked the first time for the leaders of the Cold War foes to get together at the DMZ, following the Korean War ending with an armistice in 1953.

It was moving to see Trump and Kim shake hands and greet each other. Trump also became the first sitting U.S. president to set foot on North Korean soil after crossing the border with Kim in the Joint Security Area (JSA) of the DMZ. This historic event comes after President Moon Jaein and Kim held their first inter-Korean summit there in April last year, which paved the way for denuclearization talks between Washington and Pyongyang.

In this regard, the Trump-Kim meeting at the DMZ, which divides the two Koreas, raises hope for a breakthrough in their stalled talks. This epoch-making event would have been impossible without concerted efforts by Trump and Moon for denuclearization and peace-making on the peninsula. It was also the first time that both leaders of the two allies visited the border together. Additionally, it was unprecedented for the leaders of the two Koreas and the U.S. to meet at the same time.

Kim also deserves praise for coming to the JSA to meet the visiting U.S. president accompanied by Moon. Kim could have avoided the encounter if he had lacked the determination to break the impasse in the dialogue with the U.S. The nuclear negotiations have hit a snag since the second Trump-Kim summit ended without any agreement in Hanoi, Vietnam, in February. Behind the deadlock was the North's call for sanctions relief in return for partial, not total, scrapping of its nuclear material and facilities.

It is no exaggeration to say that the landmark event carried more than symbolic significance. It was the culmination of the top-down diplomatic efforts for peace, coexistence and co-prosperity. As President Moon said, the JSA -- a longtime symbol of confrontation and hostility -- is now turning into a symbol of hope and peace.

Kim expressed thanks to Trump for his willingness to leave all the unfortunate past behind and look toward a better future. Both leaders agreed to resume the denuclearization talks during their 53-minute summit at Freedom House on the southern side. Trump also invited Kim to visit the White House.

Now Washington and Pyongyang should restart their working-level negotiations to narrow their differences over the scope and terms of the North's denuclearization. The two sides should pull out all the stops to build trust with each other and find a solution through dialogue and compromise.

The two leaders must see that there exist concerns that the one-time meeting may end up as an anticlimax. Trump probably needed such global grandstanding to show off his foreign policy achievements to boost his re-election bid. For his part, Kim might have wanted to use his DMZ meeting with Trump as propaganda to raise his international standing and tighten his grip on power.

We hope Trump and Kim will reach a grand deal to resolve the North Korean nuclear issue. Their "handshake of peace" should be translated into complete denuclearization and lasting peace on the peninsula.