[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Ji-eun] North Korea published a photo album depicting scenes from the inter-Korean summits between President Moon Jae-in and General Secretary Kim Jong-un of the Workers' Party ahead of the inauguration of the Yoon Suk-yeol administration.
On the 4th, the external propaganda media Uri Minjok-kki released the photo album titled "A Great Turning Point in Inter-Korean Relations - 2018," which contains such content.
This photo album extensively includes photos from the 2018 inter-Korean summits between President Moon and General Secretary Kim. It features numerous images ranging from the scene where General Secretary Kim mentioned the "dispatch of a delegation" in his New Year's address, the participation of North Korean delegations in the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics, the meeting of the two leaders at the inter-Korean summit, visits by South Korean officials to North Korea, to the ascent of Mount Baekdu by the two leaders.
In particular, above the photo of the two leaders shaking hands at Panmunjom, the title "A historic meeting that opened a new era of national reconciliation, unity, peace, and prosperity" was attached.
The Pyongyang Publishing House, which issued the photo album, stated, "The three meetings and talks between the heads of North and South Korea clearly demonstrated to both domestic and international audiences that inter-Korean relations have entered a completely new stage," and evaluated it as "a precious result brought about by the respected Supreme Leader's iron will, outstanding political skill, and great patriotic decision to put an end to the history of distrust and confrontation and to usher in a new era of peace, prosperity, and reunification."
North Korea, which had thoroughly erased President Moon from photo albums related to General Secretary Kim's external activities, released a photo album including President Moon ahead of the inauguration of the Yoon administration, which is interpreted as an attempt to pressure the new government. Jeong Seong-jang, head of the North Korea Research Center at the Sejong Institute, analyzed, "After the breakdown of the Hanoi North Korea-US summit in February 2019, North Korea took a stance of ignoring the Moon Jae-in administration and almost refused official dialogue, but ahead of the Yoon administration's inauguration, it newly and positively re-evaluated the 2018 inter-Korean summit," adding, "This is to create public criticism in South Korea and the international community against the Yoon administration's hardline policy toward North Korea and to draw support for North Korea's position."
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