By Agence France-Presse
South Korea's president and the North's leader Kim Jong Un drove together through the streets of Pyongyang on Tuesday past thousands of cheering citizens before opening a summit where Moon Jae-in will seek to reboot stalled denuclearization talks between his hosts and the United States.
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un (R) came to Pyongyang's international airport to welcome South Korean President Moon Jae-in (C) (AFP / MANILA BULLETIN)
Kim and Moon embraced at Pyongyang's international airport -- where the North Korean leader had supervised missile launches last year as tensions mounted.
The North's unique brand of choreographed mass adulation was on full display as hundreds of people waved North Korean flags and another depicting an undivided peninsula -- while the South's own emblem was only visible on Moon's Boeing 747 aircraft.
Thousands of people, holding bouquets and chanting in unison "Reunification of the country!" lined the streets as Kim and Moon rode through the city in an open-topped vehicle.
"I am acutely aware of the weight that we bear," Moon told Kim as they opened two hours of formal talks at the headquarters of the ruling Workers' Party, adding that he felt a "heavy responsibility."
The talks covered "various issues arising in further accelerating the development of the north-south relations", the North's KCNA news agency said.
Kim and Moon "had a frank and candid conversation over important matters of mutual concern," it added, without providing details.
At a banquet after the first day of the summit, Moon said the "complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula and the establishment of peace" were priorities.
The South Korean leader said there would be challenges ahead but that he and Kim had "trust and friendship." Kim also hailed his relationship with Moon.
The North Korean leader declared his backing for the denuclearization of the peninsula at his Singapore summit with US President Donald Trump in June.
But no details were agreed. Washington and Pyongyang have since sparred over what that means and how it will be achieved.
The US is pressing for the North's "final, fully verified denuclearization," while Pyongyang wants a formal declaration that the 1950-53 Korean War is over and has condemned "gangster-like" demands for it to give up its weapons unilaterally.
A commentary in the Rodong Sinmun, the mouthpiece of the North's ruling party, repeated the criticism Tuesday, saying Washington was "totally to blame" for the deadlock.
The US called the summit "a historic opportunity for Chairman Kim to follow through his commitment that he made to President Trump."
"We hope to see a meaningful verifiable step toward the denuclearization of North Korea," State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert said, adding that US officials were consulting closely with South Korean counterparts during the summit.
Moon will hold another round of formal talks with Kim on Wednesday, as he urges the North Korean leader to make substantive steps toward disarmament that he can present to Trump.
Moon is due to meet Trump later this month on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York.