S.Korea Celebrates Cross-Border Summit Anniversary Alone

The South Korean government is holding various events to mark the first anniversary of the inter-Korean summit in Pyongyang, but North Korean officials are conspicuous by their absence.

In a clear sign that North Korea sees nothing worth celebrating, the state media and propaganda websites had not made a single mention of the anniversary as of Wednesday evening, a day before the anniversary.

North Korea ignored invitations from Seoul to hold a joint ceremony. Asked by reporters if North Korea's Committee for the Peaceful Reunification of the Fatherland had sent any word, a senior government official here had to admit it had not.

The isolated state has been refusing to talk to the U.S. and South Korea since the Hanoi summit between North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and U.S. President Donald Trump collapsed.

Kim Yong-chol, North Korea's front man in the preliminary negotiations, was sacked, as were several other top officials involved.

The South Korean government held a public discussion chaired by the unification minister and a commemorative academic conference on Wednesday.

But a "peace train" that was to steam a few kilometers from Dorasan Station near the border on Thursday was canceled due to an outbreak of African swine fever in nearby Paju.

Most recently, North Korea has been incensed by scaled-back South Korea-U.S. military exercises, but last week it proposed a resumption of working-level talks with the U.S., but over the head of South Korea, later this month.