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South Korean President Moon Jae-in and first lady Kim Jung-sook are greeted by North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and first lady Ri Sol-ju upon the formers’ arrival at Pyongyang Sunan International Airport on Sept. 18. (photo pool))

Images of welcoming event preparations ahead of South Korean President Moon Jae-in’s aircraft arriving at Pyongyang Sunan International Airport were relayed live around the world on Sept. 18, along with the scene of Moon arriving and embracing North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.

The live images were unprecedented for a North Korean-organized event. Blue House Chief of Staff Im Jong-seok also said the day before that he was “not aware of any other event in Pyongyang being broadcast live” and “had not expected the suggestion of a live broadcast would be accepted.”

The significance of the change from North Korea is even more apparent when compared to a previous inter-Korean summit in 2007. Live images at the time showed then-President Roh Moo-hyun traveling by land as far as the Military Demarcation Line (MDL), but coverage ended once the line was crossed. The broadcast was able to resume at the moment of Roh and then-North Korean leader Kim Jong-un’s meeting, but Kim was only seen live from behind due to the welcoming venue’s abrupt change from the originally scheduled People’s Palace of Culture to the April 25 House of Culture.

But the live coverage of Moon’s visit continued from his welcoming event at the airport to the two leaders’ arrival at the Paekhwawon Guest House.

“This is the first time [North Korea] has offered live coverage of two leaders entering Paekhwawon, which is where major envoys at the level of state guest stay,” said Yoon Young-chan, Blue House senior presidential secretary for public relations, on the same day. The two leaders’ motorcade prior to traveling to Paekhwawon was shown later in recorded footage due to the length of the journey.

With the active cooperation seen from North Korea, major events in the latest inter-Korean summit appear likely to be aired live over the three-day schedule through Sept. 20, with some major scenes to be made public after only a lag of around two hours. The two leaders’ joint announcement of an agreement following their arrival-day summit and additional summit on the morning of Sept. 19 was also broadcast live.

If the two leaders organize events for building closeness on the final visit date of Sept. 20 – which both have currently left blank on their schedules – some are predicting the images could be relayed in real time like their talk on a pedestrian bridge at the Apr. 27 summit at Panmunjom.

In addition to the live coverage, the Blue House reported the same day that North Korea would be allowing some of the South Korean journalists present to sleep at the Paekhwawon Guest House, which is generally used to accommodate foreign heads of state.

“Apparently, the live coverage vehicle for the KBS joint coverage team went to the Paekhwawon Guest House to stay the night the evening before [on Sept. 17],” explained Yoon. “There was mention of this being the first time reporters had slept at Paekhwawon.”

While attention had been focusing on whether the events would be aired live in North Korea, no live coverage was presented. North Korea’s Korean Central Television (KCTV) network typically begins regular broadcasting at 3 pm on weekdays and in the mornings on Sundays and public holidays.

While the two sides’ agreement to broadcast major events in the Pyongyang summit live had some speculating that North Korea would also begin live coverage of the two leaders’ encounter that morning, the scene was not televised. For previous inter-Korean summits in Pyongyang in 2000 and 2007, recorded footage of the South and North Korean leaders’ meetings was aired by KCTV later the same afternoon.

By Seo Young-ji, staff reporter

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