On September 18, South Korean President Moon Jae-in made a deep, respectful bow toward the North Korean citizens that welcomed him during his visit to Pyongyang for the third inter-Korean summit this year. A leader bowing in such a way was a rare sight for North Koreans to witness. What did they think about what they saw?
A Ryanggang Province-based source told Daily NK on October 1 about the reaction of North Koreans to the Pyongyang summit. The source mentioned President Moon bowing deeply to North Koreans and said, “People didn’t expect that he would bow so deeply like that. We were surprised, but people around me are saying that it made Moon seem respectful and genuine.”
“Chairman Kim Jong Un and President Moon seemed close and friendly with each other and it looked like there was trust between them,” he added.
“People thought that unification would happen immediately after they saw the two men smiling together and they liked that it seemed the two Koreas are becoming closer with one another.”
Moreover, in regards to Moon making a speech in front of Pyongyangites for the first time since the Korean Peninsula was divided, a source in Pyongyang said, “I heard that it was going to be a speech about peace and unification, and people were saying that they hope it’s not just a speech but that [unification] becomes a reality.”
The source also claimed that everyone in Pyongyang knew about the content of Moon’s speech and that the speech was shared via mobile phones across the country.
In regards to Pyongyang citizens being mobilized en masse to welcome Moon, the source told Daily NK that, “People thought it was just an honor to see the two men up close, which is a hard thing to do.”
A source in Ryanggang Province added, “Samjiyon residents, who consider themselves as coming from the backwaters, were just happy that they could enjoy an event that had previously only been available to Pyongyangites, and were really happy to see the South Korean president, not [just] the Chinese president, up close.”
Another resident from North Pyongan Province told Daily NK that North Koreans were surprised at Moon bowing so deeply to his welcomers. “The Suryongs [Kim clan] never greet the people like that here,” said the source. “Moon’s bow was not just special, it showed us that the South Korean president is a good person and is working for the people.”
A scene of Kim Jong Un bowing to his people was also made public through North Korean state media on September 29. Kim had been visiting the Kim Chaek Industrial General University, which was celebrating the 70th anniversary of its founding, and he was filmed bowing deeply to the professors who assembled to take a commemorative photo with him.
Over the course of time, North Korea’s state media has released several scenes of Kim Jong Un bowing in a respectful manner. A picture of him bowing respectfully to participants of the 5th National Veterans Rally was published in July, and he was also shown bowing right before delivering the New Year’s Address in January.
The release of film showing Kim bowing deeply during his public on-the-spot visits after the Pyongyang summit supports the emphasis the authorities are placing on him as a “modest leader working for the people.”
