our special coverage of the summit between moonjae—in our special coverage of the summit between moon jae—in and our special coverage of the summit between moonjae—in and kim jong—un. you can special coverage bbc. welcome back to our viewers on bbc news america. we are continuing our live coverage on the historic summit between south korean resident moon jae—in and north korean leader kim jong—un. —— president. we are seeing live footage of the peace house where the two leaders are expected to meet injust where the two leaders are expected to meet in just about half an hour ‘s time. they will have some welcoming ceremony before officially starting the summit. this is the third time that the leaders of the two korea's are meeting. the last summit took place in 2007 and the one before in 2000. you can still

hear the rather loud noise of the helicopter, we have some news crews as well as a military following, the convoy of south korean president moonjae—in, who convoy of south korean president moon jae—in, who has convoy of south korean president moonjae—in, who has crossed the bridge behind us a short time ago. he is on his way to meet with kim jong—un and this is the first time that the north korean leader crosses the border into the south korean since the end of the korean war in 1953. they agreed a truce back in 1953, but the two countries are technically still at war. this is a rather historic day and we have been hearing from people here in south korea as well as defectors who have left north korea. we are now seeing the footage of the peace house and we are expecting south korean president moonjae—in to be a

writing, there are he is, he and his carand his writing, there are he is, he and his car and his convoy arriving at the peace house, where the summit will ta ke peace house, where the summit will take place. the peace house is on the southern side of panmunjom in the southern side of panmunjom in the demilitarised zone, which divided the two career‘s since the end of the war, divided by a military demarcation line and kim jong—un will become the first north korean leader to cross this border. there is a lot of coverage on this summit, as you can imagine, some 3000 journalists both foreign and local have been registered to cover at the event. you are watching live coverage of the peace house on the southern side of panmunjom, not far from where we are standing right 110w. from where we are standing right now. that is where the leaders of the two career‘s will start meeting

very shortly. —— career‘s. we are told the leaders will enjoy a cold dish and some north korean liquor. you are seeing live footage from the peace house where the summit will be taking place. ahead of the summit, we have seen some softening of the image portrayed by the north korean state media, all of the media is tightly controlled by the state but we have seen kim jong—un tightly controlled by the state but we have seen kimjong—un portrayed more of a family man, interacting with children, interacting with the is of the bosc rush just a short while ago and we haven't seen him smoking too much. we have seen his wife being given a title of the first lady. all that in preparations ahead of the summit and of course

this summit comes ahead of the very truly historic event if it takes place between the sitting us president donald trump and kim jong—un. it all happened rather quickly, that moonjae—in, the south korean president, sent his delegation to meet with the north korean officials, they then took a letter from korean officials, they then took a letterfrom kim korean officials, they then took a letter from kim jong—un to president donald trump and to the surprise of many in the international community, president donald trump said he agreed to meet with kim jong—un. that meeting is expected to take place sometime before june. that meeting is expected to take place sometime beforejune. we still don't know where that would take place, what of speculation whether it will take place, where the two leaders of the moonjae—in are meeting today or someplace

com pletely meeting today or someplace completely different, mongolia, singapore, south east asia have been listed a possibility as well. whistle don't know whether that is taking place, president trump said it might not happen at all. it is still all up in the area, but we have seen mike pompeo, who has been confirmed as the new secretary of state of the united states visiting a comic and meeting north korean leader kimjong a comic and meeting north korean leader kim jong on a comic and meeting north korean leader kimjong on moments ago. that announcement surprised many, it came when the japanese prime minister was in washington to meet with president trump. but the progress has been rather rapid, there are a lot of speculation is what changed kim jong—un‘s mind, the economy being in a week state because of sanctions being given as one of the possible

reasons but also the fact that kim jong—un has managed to get north korea possibly recognised as a weekly state has given him confidence to now come back to the negotiating table. 0bviously confidence to now come back to the negotiating table. obviously we don't know exactly what happened but the progress has been really rapid and the south korean government has made a very speedy preparation and had this summit. —— had. 0ur correspondence looking to us earlier sat down with the vice foreign minister of south korean minister and what they are expecting from the summit. just in recent years, think about what happened on the korean peninsula. multiple launchers, missiles testing by north korean. 0ut missiles testing by north korean. out of the blue, we are beginning the process of engagement, talking to them face—to—face, there will be the first summit meeting between the president ‘s in crowtree. ——

crowtree. —— panmunjom. president ‘s in crowtree. —— crowtree. -- panmunjom. the critics of your government say there might be more involved, essentially, apart from some statements, kim jong—un has really given up nothing in order to get to this summit. well, i believe still the announcement made by pyongyang, including the suspension of the nuclear testing and missile launchings, as well as the shutdown of the nuclear testing site in the northern part of north korea speaks volumes about the direction we are going in terms of the denuclearisation and when they come to the talks with us and with the americans. but of course we will notjump to any conclusions regarding the denuclearisation. we will be serious, we will be very stubborn in talking with the north

korean is for the importance of the denuclearisation of the korean peninsula. president trump will follow friday's summit that a summit of his own. —— with a. what people are very surprise that he agreed to this. —— what of people. how surprise that was your government? personally, i was not surprised. in a sense, president trump has been very clear from the very beginning that there could be a different path. he was talking about a conversation in pyongyang, in a sense he was sending a balanced signal, indicating a crisis on one hand but it also indicating a com pletely hand but it also indicating a completely different future, avenue for the future of north korea on the other hand. so when president trump was accepting the proposal for the talks between the dprk and the us, i

don't think i was surprised. south korea's vice foreign minister speaking to our correspondence, correspondence. you are watching special cover and —— coverage, live footage of the south korean president one arriving at the peace house the southern side of panmunjom in the demilitarised zone which divides the two korea's. the two countries have fought a bitter war which ended in 1953, they came and agreed a truce but are still technically at war. this is very historic that he will be meeting the north korean leader kim jong historic that he will be meeting the north korean leader kimjong on historic that he will be meeting the north korean leader kim jong on very shortly. —— kim jong—un. north korean leader kim jong on very shortly. —— kimjong—un. he has arrived and shook hands with

officials, working tirelessly, of course, to make this summit happen. this all changed, this all happened very, very quickly. 0nly 4—6 months ago the countries, north korea and its tensions with the rest of the world were very, very high. we had kim jong—un calling president trump a. hard, president trump calling him little rocket man because of all the missile test that they have conducted. and here we are, after the new year's day speech of tim jong on that he might send a north korean delegation, it happened rather quickly, to the winter 0lympics rather quickly, to the winter olympics in march. we saw the two korea's competing under one flag and since then we have had some major meetings between kim jong—un, since then we have had some major meetings between kimjong—un, he met with chinese president xi jinping, that was the first meeting that he

had with the head of the foreign state as the leader and of course he will shortly be meeting with the south korean president moonjae—in, whose family fled north korea many decades ago. the summit will happen in about 20 minutes time, starting at 9:30am local time at the peace house in the demilitarised zone which divides the two korea's. it will be followed by some welcome ceremony before they start their official summit. of course, ceremony before they start their officialsummit. of course, on ceremony before they start their official summit. of course, on the agenda is the peace treaty possibly to officially and the korean war that ended in 1953. also, many have been wondering whether the south korean president can convince kim jong—un to give up his nuclear weapons, that is what many analysts think is highly unlikely but at

least the fact that he has, kim jong—un has successfully tested those nuclear weapons, some analysts would say that he is now confident to come back to the negotiating table. you are watching live footage in the demilitarised zone between the two korea's where the two leaders will be meeting very shortly. we can bring back in our guest professor from the university of north korean studies. apologies, we have some helicopter noise, whether that be the military or the news crew as well. but we saw south korean president moon jae—in crossing the bridge behind us to meet with kim jong—un. what is your view? how optimistic, how hopeful oui’ view? how optimistic, how hopeful our youth that they can come to something that will probably make history? yes. i am cautiously

optimistic about the outcome of the summit. because the change is extraordinary between the north and south koreans, also between north korea and the united states. in a sense, this summit could be recorded in history as the historic moment that can change from some high tension into peaceful and sustainable, peaceful regime in the korean peninsula. in a sense, both recognise the high stakes of the failure of these negotiations, in a sense, they are very prepared to make some workable agreement in which they can possibly include some peace treaty, but the main focus has

to be on how to make some good solutions for the denuclearisation issue. this is the most important issue. this is the most important issue in this summit and in the shadow of the us and north korea summit, the officials tried to watch over what kind of agreement they are going to make in this summit, that is the key issue. the progress has been rather rapid. 0nly 4—6 months ago some of the analysts were thinking that we could be on the brink of a war. and then things started to change. can you talk us through how this happened so quickly? the kind of temper of the

changing events is extraordinary and most of the analysts on korean relations, for example, it is very surprising, the transformation in the korean peninsula. first of all, i think one of the most important factors that can be conducive to this kind of change is the environment structured by the us— trump administration. international co—ordination. especially from china. the north korean leader is 110w china. the north korean leader is now almost critically felt. they

also announced, they have the nuclear deterrent power. kind of possible progression. some positives and negatives. possibly changing and maximising some concession from the united states as well as south korea. as you say, when we say denuclearisation, that means a lot of things. given we have tested six times now. it's hard to believe that

he would let that go. busy basically using it as a leveraged to come back to the negotiating table? does the world now just have to the negotiating table? does the world nowjust have to live with the fa ct world nowjust have to live with the fact that north korea will remain as a nuclear state. ithink fact that north korea will remain as a nuclear state. i think it is hard to say that kim jong—un will give up their nuclear weapons. without any compensation in terms of security. in terms of critical exchange. if north korea can give up nuclear weapons in exchange for some security guarantees as well is in the long—term, the economic cooperation, it may mean south

korea, japan and china. the most important thing is, this is some kind of structural constraints. now, to make some workable and feasible action plan. the north korean reference and other programmes. and thatis reference and other programmes. and that is the summit. it should take place, the summit, in about ten or 15 minutes. we saw some people in the street. 0pinion is split among

south koreans. some serious human rights abuses. what is your view on this very divided community. basically, the south korean people and society have been divided between the conservative camp and the progressive camp, how to have reconciliation with north korea. this is some kind of constant state of south korean society. i would like to emphasise the moderation policy towards north korea in

government. they tried to make some priority exclusively on the denuclearisation issue. this is a kind of unprecedented in the history of the inter— korean dialogue since 2000. the first nuclear test of north korea. the south korean government tried to set the priority of gender into inter— korean economic cooperation. the government switched gears and tried to make strong co—ordination with the united states. that is the big difference at this time. the moderation of the policy towards north korea. the solid politicalfoundation policy towards north korea. the solid political foundation in policy towards north korea. the solid politicalfoundation in the

domestic audience for south korea. ina sense, domestic audience for south korea. in a sense, probably compared to the other two previous summits, president moonjae—in now house the most political support from the substantial majority of the south korean people and of course, there are some extremes. for this time, moonjae—in‘s government are some extremes. for this time, moon jae—in‘s government are are some extremes. for this time, moonjae—in‘s government are very good. live pictures of president moonjae—in arriving for the summit. his family fled north korea. it appeared rather personal. did that help to bring the two countries to the negotiating table. it can be

very conducive to completion with north korea. the personal history of our chief executive. he tried to utilise the kind of personal asset. the south korean government, get some good results us far. based on this kind of trust building between north and south. president moon jae—in will make some move forward and makea jae—in will make some move forward and make a bridge from here to the us and north korean summit. sunday

injune. us and north korean summit. sunday in june. we have live pictures of the panmunjom on the southern side of panmunjom near the demilitarised zone where the summit will take place in ten minutes. moonjae—in‘s family is one of many in south korea who are affected by the division of the two countries. talk us through. some families are still divided. few and far in between. talk us through some of the experiences that you know of south koreans who are affected by this. one of the impending issues is how to rejoin the family that has been divided by

the family that has been divided by the north and south because of political confrontations regardless of the ideological aspects, the conservative government tried to make some achievement in terms of family reunion. history said that is kind of humanitarian action. always, the political issue intervened. thus far, we have realised that without resolving the fundamental issues for the north korean nuclear weapons, without that, any kind of

humanitarian intake has to be interacted with for political reasons. at this moment, we need to focus on issues like denuclearisation and if we make progress on this issue, we can have some sustainable and workable things. thank you, professor kim jung. we can show you live pictures of the south korean delegation arriving at peace house in panmunjom. moon jae—in has arriving at peace house in panmunjom. moonjae—in has gone into the peace house ahead of this summit which is starting in about five minutes time. you will be meeting with kim jong—un. he

minutes time. you will be meeting with kimjong—un. he has been making his way to the peace house. i can bring in our correspondence rupert wingfield—hayes. some of the fundamental issues they will be discussing but there are allegations of human rights abuses that people say moonjae—in should bring up but others say he should focus on the fa ct others say he should focus on the fact that they can come to a peace treaty and so on. what are we expecting from the summit? it might be mentioned but something that south koreans are concerned about. 0ver south koreans are concerned about. over the last ten years or so, 15 yea rs, over the last ten years or so, 15 years, around 30,000 north korean defectors have come to the south. they campaigned quite strongly to have more focus on the human rights

situation in south, sorry, in north korea. it is not a big political issue in south korea. peace and stopping war, for most south koreans, is absolutely the number one issue. they want to end this threat which is hung over them, particularly here, we stand on the edge of the demilitarised zone. north korea is two kilometres that way, and 50 kilometres in that direction is seoul, and there is artillery here. it is believed artillery here. it is believed artillery is here which can hit the south korean capital. almost southern people, people in the south, the number one priority is to try and end this threat that is loomed over them for so long. talking about peace for moonjae—in and denuclearisation of north korea.

getting some sort of commitment. that is going to be the most difficult thing and will be the most stubborn issue. it is very clear that. he has agreed to freeze and may agree to a permanent freeze and more missiles. is he prepared to give up nuclear weapons and i think the answer is probably no. of course, this summit comes ahead of the meeting. we are seeing live pictures of kim jong—un arriving at peace house on the southern side in the demilitarised zone. the summit between the two leaders is expected to start in a few minutes now. we

are seeing live pictures of kim jong—un, the leader of north korea, arriving for the summit. this is the third meeting between the leaders of the two koreas. the last one was in 2007, the one before that was 2000. this is the first time that the north korean leader has crossed the border into the south korean area. the strike moment where he just crossed the border. the first to do so as the north korean leader since the korean war. they are shaking hands, the leaders of south korea and north korea, shaking hands ahead of the summit. as you said, this is the symbolic moment we have just seen. that is the blue heart, the

buildings in which the 1953 armistice agreement was signed, and kim jong—un has just walked between those hearts and been welcomed on the south side of the line, just over the line, by president moon jae—in. they have shaken hands, they are smiling, so this is a historic moment, it has to be said. whatever you think about kim jong—un,