Two Kims Pledge to Make Summit a SuccessLeaders of the two rival Koreas on Tuesday agreed to make joint efforts to make a success of their first historic summit."We are the same Chosun (Korea) people. The day of June 13 will go down in history as a landmark," Kim Jong-Il told Kim Dae-Jung as they chatted at the state guest house, the reports said. "We have left a good precedence, which will serve as future references in settling all pending issues," he said. Kim Dae-Jung said he agreed with the North Korean leader that the two should make efforts to ensure a success when they meet again Wednesday. Their first meeting at the state guest house lasted 27 minutes, South Korean presidential spokesman Park Joon-Young said. South Korea's official delegation accompanying Kim Dae-Jung attended the meeting while from the North's side, nominal head of state Kim Yong-Nam was present. The South's Deputy Unification Minister Yang Yong-Suk said "the two leaders discussed issues concerning national reconciliation and peace." No other details of the talks were given. But South Korea's state-run KBS television said they had agreed to "cast aside formalities" in future talks so they could have more substantive contacts. The South Korean president later met Kim Yong-Nam, head of the Supreme People's Assembly, and was to watch a musical performance before joining a reception banquet in his honour at the People's Palace of Culture. While greeting the visitors, Kim Jong-Il told South Korean Culture Minister Park Jie-Won, who brokered the historic summit, "I saw you when you announced (the agreement on the summit)." Prior to sitting down for their brief meeting, Kim Jong-Il gave his visitor a tour of the pictures adorning the guest house. |
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