South Korea to mark 1st anniversary of Panmunjeom inter

A poster for a ceremony marking the first anniversary of the April 27 Panmunjeom inter-Korean declaration scheduled to be held on Saturday night. The theme for the ceremony is "the long road" toward peace. Courtesy of Ministry of Unification

By Jung Da-min

South Korea will hold a ceremony to mark the first anniversary of the April 27 Panmunjeom inter-Korean declaration on Saturday night, but North Korean officials are unlikely to attend.

The Ministry of Unification earlier this week revealed its plans to hold the ceremony at the border village of Panmunjeom, but said it only notified the North, without inviting North Korean officials.

Considering that North Korea's leader Kim Jong-un was in Vladivostok from Thursday to Friday for his summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin, there was little chance that high-level officials from the North would attend, North Korea watchers said.

An evening performance with the theme of "the long road" toward peace will host about 500 South Korean officials and citizens.

Artists from South Korea, the United States, Japan and China will participate in performances and hold exhibitions on special stages at five commemorative spots of the Panmunjeom inter-Korean summit, including the military demarcation line (MDL) and the Foot Bridge.

North Korea has remained quiet about the inter-Korean projects, including the weekly directorial meeting at the liaison office in Gaeseong and the joint remains excavation project in the demilitarized zone (DMZ), after the breakup of the North Korea-U.S. summit in Hanoi in February.

No director-level meetings have been held at the inter-Korean liaison office in Gaeseong since Feb. 22, the unification ministry confirmed on Friday.

The North has also yet to reply to the South's request to participate in the war remains recovery project in the border area, according to the Ministry of National Defense.

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