North Korea: Our Goal is Complete Nuclear Disarmament

North Korean state media have stated that the negotiations between the leader of their country and the President of South Korea represent a 'new significant step' on the peninsula, and both sides have emphasized that their 'common goal' is 'complete nuclear disarmament.' In a statement released by the official North Korean news agency on Saturday, April 27, it was mentioned that 'North Korea and South Korea have emphasized that their common goal is to create a nuclear-free peninsula, which can be achieved through complete disarmament.' The statement further noted that both sides 'have agreed to fulfill the responsibilities and roles assigned to each of them.' Another published text in North Korean official media described the meeting on Friday between Moon Jae-in, the President of South Korea, and Kim Jong-un, the leader of North Korea, as a 'new milestone' in the relations between the two countries. The leaders of the two Koreas met on Friday and issued a statement emphasizing that both sides will strive to reach a peace treaty. Since the end of the Korean War in 1953, the two countries have been in a state of temporary ceasefire. Simultaneously, Donald Trump, the President of the United States, also stated on Friday, U.S. time, 'I think good things are happening regarding North Korea.' Mr. Trump emphasized that he will meet with the North Korean leader 'in the coming weeks.' He also tweeted: 'Please do not forget the tremendous help from my good friend, Xi [Jinping], the President of China, to the U.S., specifically at the border with North Korea. Without him (the President of China), this process would have been much longer and harder.' On Friday, several other government officials and leaders from various countries welcomed the historic meeting of the two Korean leaders and described it as an important step towards achieving peace. South Korean media also uniformly covered the meeting and negotiations between Moon and Kim on Saturday, often referring to it as 'a fundamental step' towards nuclear disarmament on the Korean Peninsula. Some of these media outlets expressed hope that the peace process could be realized within this year. North Korean official media, including the country's national radio and the Rodong Sinmun newspaper, published details of the meeting on Friday between their leader and the President of South Korea.