Day Three Afternoon Briefing
The following is a briefing given this afternoon by Yoon Young-chan, Senior Secretary to the President for Public Communication.
This may be the last official briefing scheduled. I thank all local and foreign journalists for what you have done over the past three days.
We have all observed history in the making from here at the Seoul Press Center. I will cherish this memory deep in my heart.
Even a year ago, it was practically impossible to imagine the sight of the leaders of North and South Korea and their wives standing together with Cheonji Lake on Bakedusan Mountain in the background.
Of course we still have a long way to go and there may be bumps along the way. But I am certain that the energy imparted to the two leaders by Baekdusan Mountain confirms the oneness of the Korean people and offers a new ray of hope for peace on the Korean Peninsula.
Now, I will brief you about the pine mushrooms.
With the President and First Lady still in Pyeongyang, Chairman Kim’s gift arrived ahead of time. A cargo plane carrying two tons of pine mushrooms arrived in Seoul Air Base in Seongnam at 5:36 am today.
The pine mushrooms will be delivered to members of separated families who have not yet had opportunities for a reunion with their relatives in the North. We selected 4,000 senior citizens to receive them, and each will get about 500 grams of the mushrooms before the Chuseok holiday.
President Moon said, “The North sent us a heartfelt gift of pine mushrooms. They hold the flavor of the mountains and rivers of the North.”
“I hope it will give some consolation to members of separated families who miss their parents and siblings. The day when they can touch the faces of family members they want to see and embrace them will certainly come. I hope they will stay healthy until that day comes,” President Moon said in a greeting to members of separated families who have not had a chance for a reunion.
The North gave pine mushrooms as presents to President Kim Dae-jung and President Roh Moo-hyun after the summits in 2000 and 2007. This concludes my briefing.
(Unofficial translation)
This may be the last official briefing scheduled. I thank all local and foreign journalists for what you have done over the past three days.
We have all observed history in the making from here at the Seoul Press Center. I will cherish this memory deep in my heart.
Even a year ago, it was practically impossible to imagine the sight of the leaders of North and South Korea and their wives standing together with Cheonji Lake on Bakedusan Mountain in the background.
Of course we still have a long way to go and there may be bumps along the way. But I am certain that the energy imparted to the two leaders by Baekdusan Mountain confirms the oneness of the Korean people and offers a new ray of hope for peace on the Korean Peninsula.
Now, I will brief you about the pine mushrooms.
With the President and First Lady still in Pyeongyang, Chairman Kim’s gift arrived ahead of time. A cargo plane carrying two tons of pine mushrooms arrived in Seoul Air Base in Seongnam at 5:36 am today.
The pine mushrooms will be delivered to members of separated families who have not yet had opportunities for a reunion with their relatives in the North. We selected 4,000 senior citizens to receive them, and each will get about 500 grams of the mushrooms before the Chuseok holiday.
President Moon said, “The North sent us a heartfelt gift of pine mushrooms. They hold the flavor of the mountains and rivers of the North.”
“I hope it will give some consolation to members of separated families who miss their parents and siblings. The day when they can touch the faces of family members they want to see and embrace them will certainly come. I hope they will stay healthy until that day comes,” President Moon said in a greeting to members of separated families who have not had a chance for a reunion.
The North gave pine mushrooms as presents to President Kim Dae-jung and President Roh Moo-hyun after the summits in 2000 and 2007. This concludes my briefing.
(Unofficial translation)
