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Relationship between South and North Korea in 2000's |
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Summit Conference (2000.6.13-15, Pyoungyang) |
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On April 10th, 2000, Jaegyu Park, Secretary of the Ministry of Unification, and Jiwon Park, Secretary of Ministry of Culture and Tourism, announced that "President Kim was invited to visit Pyongyang by Jungil Kim to have a summit conference from June 12th to 14th." This was the first summit conference in 55 years after the country was divided into south and north, and it was a starting point for a new era of reconcilement and cooperation. The south Korean government announced that they had confidentially contacted north Korea from China, and the summit conference was finally confirmed on April 8th, by Jiwon Park, a special envoy of south Korea, and Hokyeong Song, a vice-chairman of Asia-pacific Peace Committee of north Korea. The summit conference, in which two heads of the countries opened up their minds and discuss about their future, became an opportunity to broaden each other's understanding about their standpoint, and, thus, to move another step towards the unification. On June 13th, 2000, President Kim received a warm reception of Jungil Kim himself and many civilians standing along streets of Pyongyang. President Kim and Jungil Kim thoroughly discussed building peace in Korean peninsula, more vigorous exchanges between two countries, reunion of separated families, and so on. And they signed on "the South and North Joint Announcement" and declared it internationally. This summit conference was the first meeting of the heads of south and north Korea since the country was divided after the Korean War. It has a significant meaning in the history of south and north Korea that they made a turning point in the relationship between the two and brought the unification closer to the reality. |
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Exchange of Separated Families (2000.8.15-2001.2.28) |
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In 1985, the first reunion of separated families was accomplished and then there has been no more progress regarding this matter for fifteen years. On August 15th, 2000, however, selected separated families in south and north Korea visited Seoul and Pyongyang to meet their lost families and relatives. Those families separated by the border and different ideologies have traveled to their lost hometowns through a direct route between Seoul and Pyongyang to meet their lost families. The exchange of separated families was the first real achievement of the Summit Conference and a symbolic footstep towards a new era of south and north Korea. As of now, there have been three exchanges, and reunions, communications among the families, and other progresses will continue. |
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Joint-entrance at Sydney Olympics (2000.9.15) |
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South and north Koreas entered Sydney Stadium as one under the name "Korea" for the Sydney Olympics, for the first time since the end of Korea War, and showed their reconcilement and collaboration. The joint team was led by Eunsun Jung, Women's Basketball, of south Korea and Jungcheol Park, head coach of Judo, of north Korea with "Hanbando(Korean Peninsula) Flag" As the joint-team entered the stadium following the "Hanbando Flag" along with the rhythm of "Arirang," the 110,000 spectators sent them acclamation. It was a historic moment that is proving the fact that south and north Korea, the last divided countries in the world, is moving closer to the reunion. |
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Restoration of Kyeongui Line and Connecting Roads (2000.9.18) |
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Kyeoungui Line is a double-tracked railway which connects Seoul and Shinuiju, but it is currently running only between Seoul and Munsan due to the division of the country. However, on September 18th, 2000, the restoration and reconnection of Kyeonui Line was begun. The restored Kyeonui Line would be used for more efficient exchanges of resources between south and north Korea. The section of Kyeongui Line to be restored is 12Km from Minsan to Jangdan in the south and 12 Km from Jangdan to Gaeseong in the North. Also a new road of 14Km between Tongil Bridge and Gaeseong is to be constructed. With the completion of this road, the route 1 which connects Mokpo, Seoul, Pyongyang, and Shinuiju would be fully restored. The south Korean government is conceiving that they would connect Kyeongui Line to the Continental line, which connects China, the Soviet Union, and Europe, to make Korean peninsula as the major route for cargos of northeast Asia. |
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