SEOUL: The last time South Korea’s President Moon Jae-in was on duty for a tree-related event in the Demilitarized Zone, it involved 813 troops, 27 helicopters, B-52 bombers with fighter escorts – and an aircraft carrier prowling offshore. Korea Summit Press Pool/Pool via ReutersIn bright afternoon sunshine, the pair donned white gloves, grabbed shovels and tossed soil from mountains in both countries to the base of the already firmly installed pine. “We Koreans say pine trees are strong and they are green all around the year, even in winter as well,” Kim said. / AFP PHOTO / Korea Summit Press Pool / Korea Summit Press PoolIt was all a far cry from the dramatic 1976 tree-felling aimed at removing branches that were obstructing the view of US-led United Nations forces. It took 45 nerve-wracking minutes to fell the offending poplar, while scores of heavily armed North Korean soldiers stood close by observing, but not a shot was fired.

Source: New Strait Times April 27, 2018 09:45 UTC