Kim and Moon head to sacred North Korean volcano on final day of summit

The volcano is considered to be the spiritual epicentre of the North Korean revolution (AP) Credit: AP/Press Association Images

The leaders of the rival Koreas have taken to the road for the final day of their summit, standing on the peak of a volcano considered sacred in the North.

The trip to the still-active Mount Paektu by Kim Jong Un and his South Korean counterpart Moon Jae-in will resonate in both Koreas following a day of wide-ranging agreements which both leaders hailed as a major step towards peace.

However, their main agreement on the issue that most worries the world contains one big condition: Mr Kim has stated that he would permanently dismantle North Korea’s main nuclear facility only if the United States takes unspecified corresponding measures.

Mr Kim and Mr Moon flew separately to an airport near Mount Paektu, near the Chinese border, where they then met up and drove to the mountain.

Photos showed the leaders smiling broadly as they posed at the summit, with their wives grinning at their sides, beneath a brilliant blue sky with the deep crater lake that tops the volcano in the background.

They also toured the shores of the lake.

The volcano is a centrepiece of propaganda used to legitimise the Kim family’s rule, with members of the ruling dynasty referred to as sharing the “Paektu Bloodline”. The volcano is part of the national emblem and lends its name to everything from rockets to power stations.

Many South Koreans also feel drawn to the volcano, which, according to Korean mythology, was the birthplace of Dangun, the founder of the first ancient Korean kingdom, and has long been considered one of the most beautiful places on the peninsula.

The two leaders have presented a united front which seemed a distant prospect just a matter of months ago Credit: AP

Not everyone was pleased, though. About 100 anti-North Korea protesters rallied in central Seoul to express anger about the summit and displayed slogans that read: “No to SK-NK summit that benefit(s) Kim Jong Un.”

Mr Moon departed for South Korea later, as the leaders bask in the glow of Wednesday’s joint statement.

Compared to the vague language of their two earlier summits, Mr Kim and Mr Moon seem to have agreed on an ambitious programme meant to tackle soaring tensions from last year which had many fearing war as the North tested a string of increasingly powerful weapons.

Mr Kim promised to accept international inspectors to monitor the closing of a key missile test site and launch pad and to visit Seoul soon, while both leaders vowed to work together to try to host the Summer Olympics in 2032.

The pair heralded their agreement on Wednesday Credit: AP

But while containing several tantalising offers, their joint statement appeared to fall short of the major steps many in Washington have been looking for – such as a commitment by Mr Kim to provide a list of North Korea’s nuclear facilities, a solid step-by-step timeline for closing them down, or an agreement to allow international inspectors to assess progress or discover violations.

It is also unclear what “corresponding steps” North Korea wants from the US to dismantle its nuclear site.

The question remains whether it will be enough for US president Donald Trump to pick up where Mr Moon has left off.

Mr Trump told reporters that the outcome of the summit was “very good news” and that “we’re making tremendous progress” with North Korea.

He did not indicate in his brief remarks whether the US would be willing to take further steps to encourage North Korean action on denuclearisation.

The summit was hailed on both sides of the border, though some South Korean protesters said it lent Mr Kim undeserved legitimacy Credit: AP

Declaring they had made a major step toward peace, Mr Moon and Mr Kim stood side by side as they announced their agreement.

Mr Kim said: “We have agreed to make the Korean Peninsula a land of peace that is free from nuclear weapons and nuclear threat.

“The road to our future will not always be smooth and we may face challenges and trials we can’t anticipate. But we aren’t afraid of headwinds because our strength will grow as we overcome each trial based on the strength of our nation.”

Mr Moon urged unity for all Koreans. He said: “We have lived together for 5,000 years and lived in separation for 70 years.

“I now propose that we completely eliminate the hostility of the past 70 years and take a big step forward in peace so that we can become one again.”