Kim Jong-un thanks outgoing South Korean President Moon for his efforts for “great cause”

Asia-Pacific, News April 23, 2022 , by IRIA No Comments

North Korean leader Kim Jong-un sent a personal letter to the outgoing South Korean president in response to a letter sent by Moon Jae-in.

Last week, the South Korean president sent a personal letter to the North Korean leader in which he expressed his desire that both Koreas make joint declarations to establish “the foundation” for reunification, KCNA reported.

The North Korean leader praised Moon Jae-in’s pains and effort “for the great cause of the nation until the last days of his term of office,” North Korean news agency KCNA reported.

According to the report, the exchange of letters between the leaders of the North and South was an “expression of their deep trust.”

The rare exchange of letters between the leaders of the two Koreas comes as U.S. Special Representative for North Korea Kim Sung is visiting South Korea for talks.

South Korean President Moon urged Kim Jong-un to engage in dialogue with the government of incoming President Yoon Suk-yeol, as Moon will leave presidential office on May 9, 2022.

Moon also said the “era of confrontation” needs to be overcome with peaceful dialogue, and that inter-Korean engagement is one of the main tasks for the next government.

Moon wrote in the letter that “There were moments of regret and memories of overwhelming emotions. But I believe that holding our hands together, we have taken a sure step toward changing the fate of the Korean Peninsula.”

Kim Jong-un responded that the “historic” summits between the two leaders of Korea in 2018 gave “hope for the future” to the people, and both leaders agreed that the relations would develop if both sides “make tireless efforts with hope.”

“It is our achievement that we signed historic declaration and agreements, which will serve as the guiding post for inter-Korean relations,” the North Korean leader added.

^{North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and South Korean President Moon Jae-in holding hands at the borderline between the two countries, in 2018. (Image Credit: Korea Summit Press Pool via Associated Press)}

The last time the two leaders exchanged letters was in July 2021, when North Korea agreed to resume cross-border communication lines with South Korea that had been cut off for two years.

Moon’s policy of seeking exchanges and dialogues with North Korea came under threat after his Liberal Democratic Party candidate narrowly lost to conservative leader Yoon Seol-yeol in the March election.

Newly-elected South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol has slammed the outgoing president Moon’s policy toward North Korea as too soft. President-elect Yoon earlier said that he will strengthen military ties with the United States and Japan and will not ease sanctions on North Korea unless it takes concrete steps toward denuclearization.