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Kim, Moon pledge to denuclearize Korean Peninsula, end confrontation (Night Lead)
Seoul, April 27 (IANS) The leaders of North and South Korea pledged on Friday to work towards a “common goal” of denuclearizing their peninsula and formally ending the Korean War by the end of this year, following a historic day of talks on the border that divided them for almost seven decades.
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and South Korean President Moon Jae-in in a joint declaration said that “there will be no more war on the Korean Peninsula and thus a new era of peace has begun”.
The agreement was signed and issued after their bilateral summit earlier in the day at the truce border village of Panmunjom, inside the heavily-fortified Demilitarized Zone, Yonhap news agency reported.
The US, Russia, China and Japan hailed the historic meeting and the commitments to peace signed by the North and South Korean leaders.
The one-day summit started on an upbeat note with the leaders outlining efforts to make “good progress”.
“I cannot stop my excitement as we meet here at such a historical place. Also, it is very moving that you have come to Panmunjom to greet me,” Kim told Moon shortly after the walking over the Military Demarcation Line (MDL) to the South Korean side of Panmunjom.
Kim invited the South Korean President to step briefly across the demarcation line into North Korea, before the pair stepped back into South Korea — all the while holding hands. They planted a pine tree on the demarcation line in the demilitarized zone as a symbol of peace and prosperity.
Kim became the first North Korean leader to have stepped on South Korean soil since the end of the 1950-53 Korean War. The Moon-Kim meeting was the third inter-Korean summit but the first to be held in South Korea.
South and North Korea agreed to completely cease all hostile acts against each other in every domain, including land, air and sea. Both the leaders also agreed to push for disarmament “in a phased manner”.
Efforts to reduce military tension will include formally ending the Korean War by replacing the armistice with a peace treaty.
The North Korean leader is already set to hold a bilateral summit with US President Donald Trump, who earlier said the first-ever US-North Korea summit will likely take place in May or early June.
Moon and Kim also reached an agreement on a wide range of steps aimed at promoting peace between the divided Koreas and their people. A Red Cross dialogue will be held to discuss a resumption of reunions between families separated by the countries’ division.
The countries will also set up a new, joint liaison office in the North’s border town of Kaesong.
Moon and Kim met again later in a welcome dinner hosted by the former. They were joined by their wives and 60 other officials and people from both countries.
Kim’s wife, Ri Sol-ju, and Moon’s wife, Kim Jung-sook, also held a brief meeting before the start of the dinner at Panmunjom.
US President Donald Trump praised the agreements and tweeted: “KOREAN WAR TO END! The US… should be very proud of what is now taking place in Korea!”
But he also struck a note of caution. “Good things are happening, but only time will tell!”
The Kremlin welcomed the Koreas meeting and said it “positively regarded the results of the held negotiations”.
China called the summit “a historic occasion” and expressed hopes that it would create a new opportunity for stability on the Korean peninsula.
Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe also praised the meeting, although he said he would continue to monitor the progress of the apparent rapprochement between Seoul and Pyongyang.
–IANS
soni/mr
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Dr. Abhishek Verma Dedicates a Shelter in Memory of His Mother, Veena Verma, at KGMU; Inaugurated by Daughter Nicolle Verma
World-renowned business tycoon Dr. Abhishek Verma has supported Foodman Vishal Singh’s Hunger-Free World mission. In memory of his mother, Late Veena Verma, who was a 3 term Rajya Sabha MP.
Dr. Verma dedicated a state-of-the-art free permanent shelter for the attendants of patients at KGMU Medical University, Lucknow, under the aegis of Vijay Shree Foundation. His daughter, Nicolle Verma, inaugurated the shelter.
During the event, Foodman Vishal Singh honored Nicolle Verma by presenting her with a memento. Mrs. Nidhi Sharma and Avantika Yadav, associated with the organization, welcomed her with garlands. Following this, Nicolle Verma distributed essential items to the attendants and also handed out fruits. She became emotional remembering her grandmother on her birth anniversary.
On this occasion, she also inaugurated the “Veena Verma Sevalaya” in memory of her grandmother, Veena Verma, to serve the attendants. She expressed, “I feel proud that my family is engaged in nation-building as well as social service. Today, in collaboration with Vijay Shree Foundation founder Foodman Vishal Singh Ji, I feel immensely proud to dedicate this shelter for the poor, helpless, and needy attendants of patients battling serious illnesses like cancer. I am honored to be associated with the Hunger-Free World Mission for humanity.”
Inspired by the continuous humanitarian service provided by Vijay Shree Foundation over the past 17 years, Nicolle Verma donated 10 lakh rupees to support the cause. The purpose of this donation is to ensure that services continue for the needy attendants of patients suffering from severe illnesses in hospitals, as facilitated by Foodman Vishal Singh.
It is noteworthy that Dr. Abhishek Verma’s family has a legacy of public and philanthropic service. They are helping millions to carry forward the values and service work of their parents. On the occasion of his mother’s birth anniversary, Dr. Abhishek Verma dedicated this state-of-the-art permanent shelter at Lucknow Medical College to serve the attendants of patients through the Vijay Shree Foundation.
Supporting Foodman Vishal Singh’s Hunger-Free World mission, Dr. Abhishek Verma assured that he would continually support keeping this flame of humanity alive. He also promised to assist in providing medicines to the helpless patients.
Continuing her grandmother’s legacy of service, Nicolle Verma personally served food to the needy patients and attendants. She said, “It is our good fortune to have received the joy of doing this noble work today through Foodman Vishal Singh. I have taken another step forward in carrying my family’s values and cooperation by joining hands with the Vijay Shree Foundation. My father taught me to serve and help the needy, and I feel happy when I bring a smile to someone’s face.”
On the birth anniversary of the late Veena Verma, the event organizer, Vijay Shree Foundation founder Foodman Vishal Singh, said, “We feel proud and happy that Dr. Abhishek Verma, a globally renowned business tycoon, has extended his support to uplift our country from the hunger index. Today, on his mother’s birth anniversary, he inaugurated a state-of-the-art permanent shelter at Lucknow Medical College, which will always be helpful for the needy attendants of patients. It is a pleasure for me and the organization to receive the affection of Mr. Verma.”
The event was attended by General Manager Verma Family Office Hemant Garg, Sonu Rajput, and the organization’s volunteers, including Sandeep Singh, Parmeshwar Ji, Prashant Rao Gautam, Balram Singh, Ramesh Chaudhary, Suman, Jeetu, Anil, Suraj, Vinay, Manish Bhadauria, Manas Mehrotra, Vivek, Apurv, Happy, and others.
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