평양 정상회담 9월 18일 진행; 문 대통령, '특사단 기대 이상 성과, 북미대화 기대'

South Korea's special envoy returned from across the border with some exciting news.
The team brings with them, details including date,venue as well as topics for the hotly anticipated summit between the leaders of Seoul and Pyongyang.
Shin Se-min has our top story.
President Moon says the progress made by his special envoys on their one-day trip to Pyongyang went beyond his expectations.
They penciled in the next big event between South and North Korea, which will take place over three days and two nights from September 18th through the 20th -- in the North, an arrangement that looks a lot like the Pyongyang summits held back in 2000 and 2007.
The South Korean envoy told reporters after his trip that the leaders at their summit will go over the agreement they struck at their first meeting back in April -- a deal that also includes a clause about the North getting rid of its nuclear weapons.

"The two Koreas agreed to review the implementation of the Panmunjom Declaration and discuss their future direction. Also, they will draw up practical ways to establish lasting peace and to ensure joint prosperity, especially through the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula."

President Moon also said he hopes that the renewed dialogue between the two Koreas will also help with denuclearization talks between the North and the U.S., which are now stalled.
At the summit in two weeks, the leaders will also be exchanging views about ways to further reduce military tensions and build mutual trust.
Then there's the inter-Korean liaison office that had been put on hold because of a lack of progress -- the two sides have agreed to open it before the summit this month.
But a disappointing revelation too -- the South Korean envoy said it's unlikely that Kim Jong-un will make his international debut at the UN General Assembly in New York,... which would have opened the door to a possible three-way summit with Presidents Moon and Trump.

"With the date set for that meeting -- and inter-Korean relations seemingly back on track,... the summit preparation team is already scrambling to make a plan,...before the officials from the two sides meet for their pre-summit meeting next week at the inter-Korean village of Panmunjom.
Shin Se-min, Arirang News."