Today’s briefing is on the concept of public relations and communication for the upcoming inter-Korean summit being prepared by the Inter-Korean Summit Preparation Committee. There are largely four priorities in promoting communication and publicity.

First is communication focusing on the summit.  There will not be any offline promotional event. Instead, we will concentrate on the first meeting itself between the leaders of the two Koreas in 11 years. We will work to promote communication with the public so that the message of peace will be able to spread around the world from the Korean Peninsula under the slogan “Peace, a New Start.”

Second is the realization of a “summit in my hand.” An online platform (www.koreasummit.kr) has been put in place so that everyone in the world, including the media, will be able to follow every step of the summit on mobile devices in real time. As the summit will be broadcast live, a real-time data transmitting and receiving system will be installed to provide “smart media coverage support” for journalists working in the press room at Panmunjeom, the KINTEX Press Center in Goyang and onsite studios at the Inter-Korean Transit Office near Dorasan Station.

Third, public participation will be greatly encouraged. Anyone can upload pictures and video clips containing their wishes for the summit with related hashtags and take part in other online events such as a relay to cheer for peace. The many celebrities who are participating in the event include actors Jung Woo-sung, Yoon Kyun-sang, Kim Moo-yeol and Kim Dae-myung, actor and singer Jang Keun-suk, actress Yoon Seung-ah and singer Tei. In addition, many citizens are also posting numerous messages. Even after the end of the summit, opinions of the people will be collected as a means to further promote interest and online participation of an increasing number of people.  

Fourth, greater global engagement will be pursued. The upcoming inter-Korean summit will serve as a guide for the summit between North Korea and the United States. To cover the summit between the two Koreas, a total of 858 journalists from 348 media outlets of 34 different countries will gather in Seoul, Goyang, Gyeonggi-do Province and Panmunjeom. For them, a total of four press tours will be carried out before the summit.

Video messages in support of the inter-Korean summit from world leaders and celebrities, including Pope Francis, United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, and French President Emmanuel Macron, are arriving one after another. An arrangement will be made to allow the entire world to simultaneously watch the inter-Korean summit for the settlement of peace on the Korean Peninsula.

In addition, North Korea proposed today to hold the third working-level meeting on security, protocol and media coverage at Thongil House on the North Korean side of Panmunjeom tomorrow, and we agreed to it. Thus, the third working-level meeting on security, protocol and media coverage is expected to be held at Thongil House tomorrow morning.

Furthermore, President Moon Jae-in is expected to preside over an Inter-Korean Summit Preparation Committee meeting for a final inspection on the agenda today. Attendees in the meeting are expected to include Chief of Staff to the President Im Jong-seok, Director of National Security Chung Eui-yong, Chief of Staff to the President for Policy Jang Hasung, National Intelligence Service Director Suh Hoon and Minister of Unification Cho Myoung Gyon.