North Korea’s nominal head of state said Tuesday the inter-Korean summit in Pyongyang will pave the way for “peace and prosperity,” expressing hopes the meeting will lead to the eventual reunification of the separated two Koreas.

During his meeting with South Korean delegates at Mansudae Assembly Hall, Kim Yong-nam, president of the Presidium of the Supreme People‘s Assembly, said his country holds “high hopes” for the success of the third meeting between President Moon Jae-in and North Korea’s leader Kim Jong-un.

“Including the two Koreas, the international community sincerely hopes that (the summit) will become a significant opportunity to usher in an era of peace, co-prosperity and reunification,” Kim Yong-nam said in his welcoming speech.

“We will meet such expectations and bear fruits eventually,” Kim said. 

Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha, Unification Minister Cho Myoung-gyon, Defense Minister Song Young-moo, Culture Minister Do Jong-hwan and Seoul Mayor Park Won-soon were among South Korea’s Cabinet members, governors, politicians and special presidential aides who attended the meeting at Mansudae.

The meeting took place at around 4 p.m. as the two Koreas’ leaders held a closed-door summit at the building of North Korea’s ruling Workers’ Party’s Central Committee.

In his speech, Kim Yong-nam reminisced on memories of North Korea’s late leaders -- the country’s founder Kim Il-sung and his son Kim Jong-il. Kim Youg-nam served both, representing the reclusive country at various international events.

“As I look at the two Koreas’ leaders meeting three times in a row, I can’t help but think about Chairman Kim Il-sung and Gen. Kim Jong-il’s efforts to achieve rapprochement and reunification of the two Koreas,” the nominal leader Kim said.



By Yeo Jun-suk and Joint Press Corps (jasonyeo@heraldcorp.com)