Moon, Kim take historic trip to sacred North Korean mountain
Pyongyang, Sep 20 : South Korean President Moon Jae-in and North Korean leader Kim Jong-un embarked on a historic trip on Thursday to the summit of Mount Paekdu, a sacred mountain on the country's border with China, at the end of their three-day bilateral summit.
Kim and Moon, together with the respective first ladies Ri Sol-ju and Kim Jong-sook, took off in their presidential jets from Sunan airport in Pyongyang and landed about an hour later at the Samjiyon airfield the mountain, reports Efe news.
A vehicle then took the two leaders to the foothills of the mountain, an inactive volcano, and they are expected to reach Chonji, the famous crater considered the greatest national symbol in both the North and South of the Korean peninsula.
The highest mountain on the peninsula, Mount Paekdu is believed to be the place where the Korean people were born, according to traditional folklore.
Very few South Koreans have managed to climb the crater from the South Slope, located in North Korea, due to the prolonged conflicts between the two countries.
In the framework of the three bilateral summits that have been held this year, Moon, who was born in the South and is the son of North Korean refugees fleeing the war, had expressed to Kim his wish to visit Mount Paekdu from the North Korean side.
Thursday's visit shows again the good harmony between the two leaders as well as the growing rapprochement between the two countries, as on Wednesday Kim and Moon signed a joint declaration to strengthen bilateral ties and a treaty to reduce military tensions.
The statement on Wednesday also reflects that North Korea is willing to dismantle more nuclear facilities in exchange for the US promise to implement what was agreed at the summit in Singapore in June, mainly in terms of guaranteeing the survival of the North Korean regime.
One of the main objectives of this summit was to get North Korea and the US to resume their stagnant dialogue on denuclearization which was initiated in June.
Moon's mediation and Kim's commitment at the summit have so far satisfied Washington, as US President Donald Trump and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo welcomed the result of the inter-Korean meeting.
Moon on Thursday will fly directly back to Seoul from Samjiyon and will meet Trump on September 24 in the US to discuss the summit in detail.
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Sound effect: Farmers play music on solar-powered speakers to keep tigers at bay in Pilibhit
Pilibhit (UP) (PTI): Farmers living in villages adjoining the Mala range of Pilibhit Tiger Reserve have devised an unusual method to keep tigers away from their fields during sugarcane harvesting – playing loud music on solar-powered sound systems.
According to the farmers, the continuous noise helps deter wild animals from entering their fields.
As sugarcane fields are dense and the visibility is low, the risk of sudden encounters with tigers remains high during the harvesting season.
Forest officials described the initiative as a “desi jugaad” that not only enhances safety but also adds an element of entertainment, with loud music echoing across the fields during work hours.
The method has emerged as a unique way to check human-animal conflict.
Ramnagaria, Ajitpur, Jamunia, Mahua, Mala Ghera, Richhola and Basantapur are among the villages located close to the Mala range that frequently witness tiger movement, keeping the residents on edge. Recently, fresh tiger pugmarks were found in a field in Mahua.
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According to forest officials, Krishna Kumar and his associates in Jamunia village pioneered the “musical” method to deal with the threat.
“Working in the dense sugarcane fields is risky business. We believe wild animals move away due to noise, so playing songs loudly helps keep them at a distance,” Kumar said.
The method is proving effective, enabling farmers to carry out agricultural activities in groups without fear, the villagers said.
Several farmers, including Gaurishankar, Tinku, Ram Bahadur, Rakesh Kumar, Prabhu Dayal and Lalaram, have joined Kumar in implementing this innovative approach.
Deputy Ranger Sher Singh said the forest department is also making continuous efforts to spread awareness among the villagers.
“The department is organising meetings to educate farmers about safe and scientific methods to protect themselves from wildlife,” he told reporters.
