Third inter-Korean summit to be held in September

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The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) and Republic of Korea (ROK) agreed to hold their inter-Korean summit this fall in September, reported the ROK's Unification Ministry on Monday.

Officials from the DPRK and ROK held high-level negotiations at the border truce village of Panmunjom on Monday to discuss the summit.

"I hope that we can meet at the Pyongyang summit, which is scheduled to be held in September, with a full sense of responsibility and a clear conscience,” said Ri Son-gwon, chairman of DPRK’s Committee for the Peaceful Reunification of the Fatherland, who led Pyongyang’s delegation.

Ri hinted after the meeting that a date for the upcoming summit had been decided.

Unification Minister Cho Myoung-gyon, who led the ROK's delegation, said it would be up to the DPRK to announce the date since it will be hosting the event.

ROK Unification Minister Cho Myoung-gyon crosses the concrete border to attend a meeting with his DPRK counterpart Ri Son Gwon in the truce village of Panmunjom inside the demilitarized zone, DPRK, August 13, 2018. /Reuters Photo

Moon and Kim met in Panmunjom on April 27 for the first time, agreeing to hold another summit in Pyongyang in the fall. They met again on May 26. Before the Moon-Kim summit, the inter-Korean summit meetings have been held only twice in 2000 and 2007, all in Pyongyang, the capital city of the DPRK.

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“As the Pyongyang summit of the leaders of North (DPRK) and South Korea (ROK) is being pursued, I believe that we can give concrete answers to the problems that the people hope and wish for,” Ri said during the talks, according to the ROK Unification Ministry.

ROK Unification Minister Cho Myoung-gyon shakes hands with his DPRK counterpart Ri Son Gwon before their meeting in the truce village of Panmunjom inside the demilitarized zone, DPRK, August 13, 2018. /Reuters Photo

During Monday's talks, the two countries are also likely to discuss what has been implemented since their previous summits, especially on their promised efforts to expand cross-border exchanges and cooperation.

Since the high-level meeting in June, they have had talks to discuss details on cooperation in various areas, including railways, roads, sports and the reunion of families.

Moon and Kim also had a surprise meeting at the border in May, making Moon the only ROK leader to have met a DPRK leader twice. A visit by Moon to Pyongyang would be the first to be held this year in the DPRK capital.

The high-level talks come amid growing concerns that the denuclearization process seems to be in a stalemate since the June 12 summit between the DPRK and the United States.

Ri Son Gwon, chairman of the Committee for the Peaceful Reunification of the Country, talks with ROK Unification Minister Cho Myoung-gyon during their meeting in the truce village of Panmunjom inside the demilitarized zone, DPRK, August 13, 2018./ Reuters Photo

Washington and Pyongyang appear to be accusing each other of dragging their feet in implementing what their leaders agreed on at the historic summit.

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According to Yonhap, also included in the ROK's four-member delegation were Vice Unification Minister Chun Hae-sung and Nam Gwan-pyo, a senior director from the presidential National Security Office.

The DPRK's five-member delegation included Pak Yong-il, vice chairman of the reunification committee, Vice Railroad Minister Kim Yun-hyok and Pak Ho-yong, vice minister for land and environmental protection.

(CGTN's Jack Barton also contributed to the article)