Kims Meet in Pyongyang: A Thaw Between Two Koreas
South Korean President Kim Dae-jung and North Korean leader Kim Jong-il met in Pyongyang on June 13-15, 2000, for the first inter-Korean summit since the peninsula was divided in 1945. The meeting produced the June 15th North-South Joint Declaration, agreeing to pursue reunification, arrange reunions for separated families, and promote economic cooperation. Kim Dae-jung received the Nobel Peace Prize in 2000 for the summit. However, it was later revealed that South Korea had secretly paid $500 million to North Korea to secure the meeting, a scandal that discredited the "Sunshine Policy." The promised family reunions occurred sporadically but were frequently interrupted by political tensions. North Korea continued its nuclear weapons program, testing its first device in 2006.
June 13, 2000
26 years ago
Key Figures & Places
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