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Accompanied by North Korean leader Kim Jong-un

North Koreans shaking hands with South Korean President Moon Jae-in during his Pyongyang visit appeared astonished at the right-angle bow he offered.

According to sources, a handshake is considered a “Western-style greeting” in North Korea, while a full 90-degree bow is reserved solely for the “supreme dignity,” namely leader Kim Jong-un.

Arriving in North Korea for a third inter-Korean summit on the morning of Sept. 18, Moon received a warm welcome from North Koreans who had come to greet him at Pyongyang Sunan International Airport. While traveling with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, Moon shook hands with some of the North Koreans, performing a deep bow of gratitude before boarding the vehicle that had been prepared for him.

In a Facebook message that day, historian Jeon Woo-yong predicted, “President Moon Jae-in’s deep bow to the people of Pyongyang will have a greater effect in changing North Koreans’ consciousness than 10 billion leaflets.”

“What joins people together is not money, but humility and a warm heart,” he wrote.

South Korean President Moon Jae-in shakes hands with Pyongyang residents at Pyongyang Sunan International Airport on Sept. 18. (photo pool)

A segment titled “Manners and Our Lives” aired by North Korea’s Korean Central Television (KCTV) in Jan. 2011 explained, “With the development of the traditional Joseon bow to suit historical demands, a deep bow among our people is around 45 degrees, and a lowering of the upper body by around 15 degrees is encouraged for an ordinary bow.”

“The Joseon bow is a good approach to greeting hygienically, as it involves no clasping of the hands or bringing together of the face,” it said.

The segment further explained that the “lowering of the head is a proper form of greeting because the Western-style handshake is not North Korea’s traditional form of greeting.”

“To actively preserve our superior etiquette customs, we must never imitate other styles of greeting customs in our daily lives, including the handshake,” it urged.

A 2012 pamphlet published by the Institute for Unification Education based on accounts from defectors explained, “In terms of bow depth, there are separate categories for leaders and members of the public. A bow with the upper body lowered by 90 degrees is reserved solely for Kim Jong-il and members of his family.”

“If members of the public were to extend a 90-degree bow to ordinary officials, the official would be taken aback. The deep lowering of the upper body signifies an expression of loyalty that can only be made in front of a statue of Kim Il-sung,” it said.

In contrast, Kim Jong-un and other North Korean leaders have often given handshakes and 90-degree bows in international diplomacy settings. A sensation previously erupted when images showed Kim’s younger sister, Workers’ Party of Korea Central Committee First Vice Director Kim Yo-jong, performing a 90-degree bow before Chinese President Xi Jinping.

By Kim Nam-il and Jung Yu-gyung, staff reporters

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