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South Korean President Moon Jae-in smiles as he watches a live broadcast of the North Korea-US summit in Singapore at the main pavilion of the Blue House on June 12. On the left is Prime Minister Lee Nak-yeon and on the right is Ko Hyung-kwon

South Korean President Moon Jae-in hailed the June 12 North Korea-US summit in Singapore as a “historic event that brings the world’s last Cold War to an end” and a “great victory achieved together by the US and South and North Korea.”

In an official statement issued after the summit that day, President Moon expressed “warm congratulations on the success of the historic North Korea-US summit.”

“The June 12 Sentosa agreement will go down as a historic event that brought the world’s last Cold War to an end and is a great victory achieved together by the US and South and North Korea, as well as a step forward for the people of the world who desire peace,” he wrote.

He also expressed “great praise for the courage and resolution of the two leaders, President Trump and Chairman Kim, who boldly chose a new transformation rather than resigning themselves to an old and familiar reality.”

In Trump’s case, President Moon said, “I offer my respect once again for finally achieving a great feat that no one else has been able to accomplish.” He also wrote that Kim “will be remembered as the driving force for the historic moment in which [North Korea] took its first bold step toward the world.”

He further expressed his commitment to making sure inter-Korean and North Korea-US relations do not return to their past state.

“History is a record of people who took action and risks,” he said.

“This is just the beginning, and there are many difficulties lying ahead, but we will not go back, nor will we abandon our courageous journey,” he added.

“We will put the dark times of war and conflict behind us and a write a new history of peace and cooperation,” he continued, adding that South Korea would “join North Korea on that journey.”

He also pledged South Korea’s “unstinting cooperation with the US, North Korea, and the international community to ensure the agreement is fully implemented.”

“As President of the Republic of Korea, I will make every effort so that permanent peace is established on the Korean Peninsula and a new era of coexistence and prosperity begins,” he promised.

By Seong Yeon-cheol, staff reporter

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