Friday’s Panmunjeom Declaration is being met by strikingly different assessments from the country’s political parties.

The ruling Democratic Party, as expected, is praising the agreement signed by President Moon Jae-in and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un, hailing it as a “historical feat.”

“(The declaration) will be recorded as a historical feat that was a turning point not only in inter-Korean relations but for the political situation on the Korean Peninsula,” a Democratic Party spokesperson said. 

“(Agreeing on denuclearization) laid the foundations for the success of US-North Korea summit. A miracle is coming to the Korean Peninsula.”

The main opposition Liberty Korea Party criticized the declaration and accused Moon of accepting North Korea’s demands without achieving any goals.

“(Moon) agreed with North Korea’s unification strategy but failed to even mention dismantlement of the North Korean nuclear (program),” Liberty Korea Party chairman Hong Joon-pyo wrote on this Facebook account.

“(South Korea) wrote down what was dictated by Kim Jong-un in the declaration. The inter-Korean summit was a show of fake peace.”

The more moderate Bareun Mirae Party welcomed the declaration, but called for concrete steps.

Ahn Cheol-soo, the party’s Seoul mayor candidate, said that the term “complete denuclearization” being included in the declaration was very significant, but that North Korea must now take action.

By Choi He-suk (cheesu@heraldcorp.com">cheesuk@heraldcorp.com)