As South Korean President Moon Jae-in and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un held a light conversation ahead of the inter-Korean summit, the Peace House -- the summit venue -- erupted into laughter.

The two leaders exchanged remarks in the meeting room on the second floor of Peace House inside the truce village of Panmunjeom on Friday, starting at 10:15 a.m., before the historic summit began.


 

“In the morning…. I heard that they talked about the dinner menu. We did manage to bring naengmyeon (Korean cold noodles) from Pyongyang. I hope President Moon can enjoy it… which came a long way… ah we probably shouldn’t say it is far.”

Moon and Kim and others in the room laughed when Kim jokingly corrected himself after he said he had brought the North’s signature naengmyeon from afar. Pyongyang, North Korea’s capital, is only 147 kilometers from Panmunjeom.

“I say in front of President Moon and journalists that we will seriously and candidly have good conversation, necessary conversation and bring about a good result,” he added. 

In response, President Moon said that much is riding on his and Kim’s shoulders. Im Jong-seok, Moon’s chief of staff, sat in front of Kim Yong-chol, vice chairman of the North‘s ruling Workers’ Party, and Suh Hoon, director of National Intelligence Service, sat in front of Kim Yo-jong, Kim Jong-un‘s younger sister.

“I hope that we engage in the talks with much boldness, and reach an agreement and deliver a gift to all the people of the world who wish for peace,” Moon said.

By Ock Hyun-ju (laeticia.ock@heraldcorp.com)