It’s easy to get excited about this week’s Pyongyang summit. Nearly 50 years ago to the day, communist armies blitzed southward across the 38th parallel, triggering an all-out war whose reverberations are still being felt (following stories). This week Kim Dae Jung will cross the world’s most heavily defended border to engage Kim Jong Il on the reclusive strongman’s own turf. Following a still-secret agenda, the two leaders are expected to sign agreements to reunite war-divided families, boost South-to-North food aid and investment and reduce tension along the 250-kilometer-long demilitarized zone. Both men will likely avoid divisive issues like Pyongyang’s missile program and the presence of U.S. combat troops in the South. Still, President Kim, briefing U.S. President Bill Clinton last week, said he hoped to reach “a turning point” in Pyongyang that “could truly be described as historic.” No one expects the two Kims to solve all their disagreements, but President Kim might coax his host to make a trip to Seoul. That would truly be a breakthrough, for Kim Jong Il is a notoriously reluctant statesman, and traveling south to the land his father couldn’t conquer would take courage. Chances are, he’ll decline the invitation. But if he accepts, South Koreans would surely line up to catch a glimpse.
