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President Roh Moo-Hyun and first lady Kwon Yang-sook walk across the Military Demarcation Line into North Korea on Tuesday morning. Roh is accompanied by a 300-member delegation for the second inter-Korean summit.
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President Roh Moo-hyun crossed the Military Demarcation Line into North Korea at 9:05 a.m. on Tuesday, the first time a South Korean commander-in-chief has walked across the MDL since the country¡¯s division in 1953. The car carrying Roh and first lady Kwon Yang-suk stopped 30 m from the yellow line dividing the two Koreas at 8:59 a.m. The first couple stepped out of the car and walked across into the North.
Roh delivered an address to the nation and took pictures with the first lady before crossing the line. ¡°I¡¯m excited since I¡¯m going to do an important job today. There is nothing conspicuous out here. But this simple line is the barrier that has divided the Korean Peninsula for the last half century. This line has caused so much suffering to Korean people and has hampered the development of the nation,¡±he said.
He said he was now walking across ¡°this forbidden line¡± as a president. ¡°After I return from the North, more people will be able to cross this line. And finally this line will be erased.¡± He vowed to continue to work hard for permanent peace and prosperity on the peninsula, calling his visit to North Korea ¡°a step to tear down a forbidden wall¡± and ease the suffering of Korean people. Four representatives from North Korea greeted Roh and his entourage on the other side.
(englishnews@chosun.com )
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