ROK president to greet DPRK leader in military demarcation line for summit: Blue House

GOYANG - The Republic of Korea (ROK) President Moon Jae-in planned to greet Kim Jong-un, top leader of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) in the military demarcation line (MDL) inside Panmunjom, a border village dividing the two Koreas, the Blue House of the ROK said Thursday.

Im Jong-seok, presidential chief of staff who is leading the ROK's preparation for the Moon-Kim summit, told a press briefing at the media press center in Goyang, outside of Seoul, that Moon and Kim will make their first historic encounter at 9:30 am local time (0030 GMT) Friday on the MDL inside Panmunjom.

Kim will cross the MDL, marked only by a low concrete slab, through a narrow aisle between the blue pavilions sitting in the middle of the border village and straddling the two Koreas. The blue pavilions are used as the Neutral Nations Supervisory Commission meeting room.

Im said President Moon will greet Kim, chairman of the State Affairs Commission of the DPRK, on the MDL, noting that Kim will walk over the MDL under the escort of ROK's honor guard.

Moon and Kim will walk to a square between the Freedom House and the Peace House, located in the ROK's side of Panmunjom, to hold an official welcoming ceremony that includes the inspection of the honor guard.

Kim would become the first DPRK leader to set foot on the ROK soil since the end of the 1950-53 Korean War.