| March
1. | - President Moon Jae-in, in
his speech marking the 99th March First Independence
Movement Day, says,
- “I will make the 100th
anniversary of the March First Independence Movement and the
founding of the Republic of Korea a new start for the
establishment of a permanent peace system and prosperity
based on peace.”
- “As we approach the hundredth year
of our independence movement, we need to create a peace
community and an economic community on the Korean Peninsula
for the years to come.” |
| March 1. | - President Moon
speaks by phone to US President Donald Trump and says that
he would send a delegation of special envoys to North
Korea.
|
| March 4. | - North Korea sends the South the list of
the 24 members of the North Korean Paralympic
delegation.
|
| March 4. |
- The Blue House announces a plan to
send special envoys to North Korea.
|
| March 5. | - President
Moon’s special envoys visit Pyeongyang on March 5 and 6 by a
direct flight over the West Sea.
- The ten-member
delegation including National Security Office Director Chung
Eui-yong, National Intelligence Service Director Suh Hoon,
Vice Unification Minister Chun Hae-sung, senior NIS official
Kim Sang-gyun, Presidential Secretary for State Affairs Yun
Kun-young, and five working-level staff. |
| March 5. | - Kim Jong
Un meets with the special envoys sent by President Moon
(reported by KCNA on March 6).
- “Kim had an
openhearted talk with the delegation of President Moon over
the issues of improving inter-Korean relations and ensuring
peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula.”
-
“Hearing from a special envoy about President Moon’s
intentions for a summit, Kim exchanged views and made a
satisfactory agreement. He gave the important instruction to
appropriate people to immediately begin making practical
preparations for it.”
- “He also extensively exchanged
views on the issues of easing the acute military tensions on
the Korean Peninsula and activating inter-Korean dialogue,
contact, cooperation, and exchange in various fields.”
- “In attendance were Kim Yong Chol, vice-chairman of the
Central Committee of the Workers’ Party of Korea (WPK), and
Kim Yo Jong, first vice director of the Central Committee of
the WPK. North Korean leader Kim had a photo session with
members of the delegation and had an official dinner (with
his wife, Ri Sol Ju, present). |
| March 6. | - National
Security Office Director Chung Eui-yong announces the
outcome of the delegation’s visit to the North. The ① two
Koreas agreed to hold a third inter-Korean summit at the
Peace House in Panmunjeom in late April. ② Both sides agreed
to set up a hotline between the leaders and make the first
call before the summit meeting. North Korea would declare
denuclearization if military threats against the North are ③
removed and the security of the North Korean regime is
guaranteed. North Korea expressed willingness to talk with
the US to discuss denuclearization ④ and to normalize
relations between Pyeongyang and Washington. The North
clearly stated that it would not resume any strategic,
provocative acts, ⑤ such as additional nuclear tests or the
firing of ballistic missiles during the talks. It also vowed
neither to use any nuclear weapons nor any conventional
weapons against the South. The North invited a South Korean
taekwondo demonstration team and an art troupe ⑥ to
Pyeongyang.
|
| March 7. |
- President Moon, in a luncheon with
representatives of the five ruling and opposition parties,
states that “The ultimate goal we need to achieve is
denuclearization, not nuclear nonproliferation nor a nuclear
freeze.”
- National Security Office Director Chung
Eui-yong gave them a briefing on the outcome of the
delegation’s visit to the North and the plan for follow-up
measures. |
| March 7. |
- The 24-member North Korean
delegation for the Paralympic Games arrives in the South by
the Gyeongui Line on land.
|
| March 8. | - President Moon,
in his congratulatory speech at the Korea National Prayer
Breakfast, mentions that we cannot leave our destiny in the
hands of others.
|
| March
8. | - South and North Korean
athletes enter the stadium together as torch bearers at the
opening ceremony of the 2018 PyeongChang Paralympic Winter
Games.
|
| March 9. | - National Security Office Director Chung
Eui-yong visits the US to give a briefing on the outcome of
the visit to the North by the delegation of special envoys
(until March 10).
|
| March
9. | - After the meeting with
President Trump, Chung announces the outcome of the meeting
at the White House.
- “I told President Trump that, in
our meeting, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un expressed his
eagerness to meet President Trump as soon as possible.
President Trump said that he would meet Kim Jong Un by May
to achieve permanent denuclearization.” |
| March 9. |
- Regarding the planned North Korea-US summit, President
Moon mentions that the summit between US President Trump and
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un scheduled in June will be a
historical milestone in the establishment of peace on the
Korean Peninsula.
|
| March
12. | - President Moon, in a
meeting with senior presidential aides, says that there will
be a significant change in a couple of months, on which the
destiny of the ROK and the Korean Peninsula depends.
- He asked the people, both conservatives or liberals, to
bridge their ideological differences and stand united to
make the meeting a success. |
| March 12. | - The National
Security Office director and the National Intelligence
Service chief visit China and Japan, respectively, to give a
briefing on the outcome of the special envoys’ visit to
North Korea (until March 13).
- The National Security
Office director met with Chinese President Xi Jinping on
March 12, and the National Intelligence Service chief met
with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on March 13.
|
| March 14. | - The National Security Office director
visits Russia to give a briefing on the outcome of the
special envoys’ visit to North Korea (until March 15).
|
| March 15. | - The 24-member North Korean Paralympic
delegation returns to the North by the Gyeongui Line on
land.
|
| March 15. | - The Blue House announces a plan for
composition and management of the Inter-Korean Summit
Preparation Committee.
- Chairperson: Presidential
Chief of Staff Im Jong-seok
- General Secretary:
Unification Minister Cho Myoung-gyon
- Members:
National Security Office Director Chung Eui-yong,
Presidential Chief of Staff for Policy Jang Ha-sung, Foreign
Minister Kang Kyung-wha, Defense Minister Song Young-moo,
National Intelligence Service Director Suh Hoon, and
Minister of Office of Government Policy Coordination Hong
Nam-ki
- Heads of subcommittees: (Agenda) Vice
Unification Minister Chun Hae-sung, (Communication and
public relations) Senior Secretary to the President for
Public Communication Yoon Young-chan, and (Financing and
arrangement) NIS Second Deputy Director Kim Sang-gyun
|
| March 16. | - The Inter-Korean Summit Preparation
Committee holds the first meeting at Yeomingwan Building 1
at the Blue House.
- Chairperson Im Jong-seok
(Presidential Chief of Staff) gave a briefing about the
outcome of the meeting: setting the agenda, including
achievement of denuclearization and establishment of lasting
peace on the Korean Peninsula, and improvement in
inter-Korean relations; appointing a 40-strong advisory
panel headed by former Unification Minister Lim Dong-won;
planning to suggest to the North the holding of high-level
talks to prepare for the inter-Korean summit; and planning
performances by a South Korean art troupe and a Taekwondo
demonstration team in Pyeongyang in early April.
|
| March 16. |
- North Korea suggests to the South the holding of a
working-level meeting at the Thongil House in Panmunjeom on
March 19 to discuss the performances of a South Korean art
troupe in Pyeongyang.
|
| March
17. | - The ROK government makes a
modified proposal to hold the working-level meeting on March
20 to discuss the performances of a South Korean art troupe
in Pyeongyang.
|
| March
20. | - The ROK and the US plan to
conduct joint military exercises “on a similar scale as
those of previous years” on April 1.
- Conducting the
Foal Eagle exercise for one month beginning on April 1 and
the Key Resolve exercise for two weeks beginning on April 23
- The United Nations Command informed North Korea of
the exercise dates and the defensive nature of the drills
through the military communications line in the West Sea
area. |
| March 20. | - The working-level meeting is held to
discuss the performances of a South Korean art troupe in
Pyeongyang at the Thongil House on the northern side of
Panmunjeom.
- Delegates: (South) singer-songwriter
Yoon Sang, Unification Ministry Director General Park
Hyeong-il, and Senior Assistant Secretary to the President
Park Jin-won.
(North) Head of the Samjiyon Orchestra
Hyon Song Wol, Deputy Director Kim Sun Ho, and stage manager
An Jong Ho.
- Joint Press Release: ① Sending a
160-member art troupe including Cho Yong-pil, Lee Sun-hee,
Baek Ji-young, Red Velvet, and Seohyun. ② The art troupe
visits Pyeongyang from March 31 to April 3 and performs at
the East Pyongyang Grand Theatre and again at the Ryugyong
Chung Ju-yung Gymnasiumin Pyeongyang.
③ The South’s
advance team visits Pyeongyang on March 22-24.
|
| March 21. |
- The Inter-Korean Summit Preparation Committee holds the
second meeting at the Blue House.
- President Moon
said, “The inter-Korean and North Korea-US summits might
lead to a trilateral summit between the two Koreas and the
US. The objectives of the agreements between the leaders of
South and North Korea and the US include achieving
denuclearization and establishing a lasting peace system on
the Korean Peninsula, normalizing relations between
Pyeongyang and Washington, improving inter-Korean relations,
and promoting economic cooperation between North Korea and
the US or between the two Koreas and the US.”
|
| March 22. |
- The advance team to inspect the facilities for the
Pyeongyang performances by a South Korean art troupe visits
the North (until March 24, flying via Beijing).
|
| March 22. |
- The ROK government suggests to the North the holding of
a high-level meeting on March 29 at the Thongil House on the
northern side of Panmunjeom to prepare for the inter-Korean
summit in late April.
|
| March
24. | - North Korea agrees to hold
the high-level meeting on March 29 at the Thongil
House.
|
| March 25. | - North Korean leader Kim Jong Un pays an
unofficial visit to China (until March 28).
- Kim Jong
Un, in a summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping on March
26, said, “We are steadfastly committed to denuclearization
on the Korean Peninsula, in accordance with the will of late
President Kim Il Sung and late General Secretary Kim Jong
Il. The issue of denuclearization could be resolved if South
Korea and the US (reported by China’s CCTV on March
28). |
| March 29. | - The high-level meeting for the 2018
Inter-Korean Summit is held at the Thongil House on the
northern side of Panmunjeom.
- Delegates: (South)
Unification Minister Cho Myoung-gyon (chief), Vice
Unification Minister Chun Hae-sung, and Senior Secretary to
the President for Public Communication Yoon
Young-chan.
(North) Chairman of the Committee for the
Peaceful Reunification of the Country (CPRC) Ri Son Gwon
(chief), Vice Chairman of the CPRC Jon Jong Su, and CPRC
Director Kim Myong Il.
- Joint Press Release: Holding
the 2018 Inter-Korean Summit at the Peace House on the
southern side of Panmunjeom on April 27; holding a
working-level meeting concerning protocol, security, and the
press at the Peace House on April 4; and setting the date
and place for a working-level meeting concerning
communications. |
| March 29. |
- The 66-member advance team of a
South Korean art troupe and a Taekwondo demonstration team
fly to the North by a direct route over the West Sea.
|
| March 29. | - The four-member delegation headed by
Vice President Han Un Gyong of the DPRK Football Association
visits the South to participate in an executive committee
meeting of the East Asian Football Federation (EAFF) in
Busan on March 30 (until March 31).
|
| March 29. | - Yang
Jiechi, a member of the Political Bureau of the Central
Committee of the Communist Party of China, visits South
Korea in his capacity as special envoy of President Xi
Jinping (until March 30).
- He met with President Moon
on March 30, gave a briefing about the outcome of the North
Korea-China summit held on March 26, and discussed ways to
ensure the success of the inter-Korean and North Korea-US
summit meetings. |
| March
30. | - The Inter-Korean Summit
Preparation Committee holds the third meeting at the Blue
House.
|
| March 31. | - The 120-member South Korean group of an
art troupe and a Taekwondo demonstration team fly to the
North by a direct route over the West Sea.
|
