Leaders of S. Korea, N. Korea announce joint declaration that includes complete denuclearization of Korean Peninsula

The summit on Friday was concluded with the signing of the Panmunjom Declaration for Peace, Prosperity, and Unification of the Korean Peninsula.In it, the two leaders pledged to remove nuclear weapons from the Korean Peninsula.They also promised to turn the Demilitarized Zone between the two Koreas into a "genuine peace zone" and stop all hostile activities.Moon Connyoung reports. A final peace and no nuclear arms.The leaders of South and North Korea embraced on Friday after agreeing to work toward the "complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula"... on a day of smiles and handshakes at the historic inter-Korean summit in over a decade."Chairman Kim and I have today reaffirmed our common goal of realizing a nuclear-free Korean Peninsula through complete denuclearization."The fact that Moon Jae-in and Kim Jong-un spent so much time together - and came up with a joint statement that even includes the word 'denuclearization' - marked a surprising development after a year of threats and missile launches that brought the specter of war back to the Korean Peninsula.The two Koreas also announced they would work with the United States and China this year to declare an official end to the 1950s Korean War and seek an agreement to establish "permanent" and "solid" peace."President Moon and I share common interest in opening a new era of happiness and prosperity on peaceful land and agreed on practical measures that would help realize these goals."The declaration includes promises to pursue phased arms reduction, cease hostile acts, transform their fortified border into a peace zone and seek multilateral talks with other countries including the United States.Even the most optimistic analysts were surprised at the scope of the agreement, noting in particular that Kim has now signed a document that includes the word "denuclearization."But the North Korean leader did not mention denuclearization and analysts warned that while the summit was a good first step, similar promises had been made before and much remained to be done to resolve the issue of the North's atomic arsenal.In coming weeks, the North Korean leader is due to hold a much-anticipated meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump -- who has demanded Pyongyang give up its weapons -- that will be crucial in shaping progress. Moon Connyoung, Arirang News.